New Beginning
by Darkwriter7
Summary: SSHG WIKTT & Severitus challenges combined. When Hermione comes back to Hogwarts she isn't alone, and the child she brings with her causes Severus to do somethings he never would have found himself doing before. Chapter 23 Revised
1. Default Chapter

Prologue:  
  
Some lives are not worth saving. At least that was how I felt about my own life. The end of the war had come; it had been a long, hard fought battle. One that I had welcomed. But now that it was over, I had no purpose in life. Sure, I was the boy-who-lived, but I did not want to be that. I only wanted to be me, or at least find out who me really was. Nothing had been, as it had seemed. The one true saving grace, that was much a blessing now, as it was a curse then, was that I no longer had the scar that Voldemort had placed upon my forehead. That truly despised scar, I hated that thing, at the same time, it was a saving grace in my life. Not for the fame it brought me, but for the way it helped me know just what horrors Voldemort was up to.  
  
The ending feast was beginning. Ron had just told me, he had come into the room, told me I needed to go. I was not ready to face the prying eyes again, face all the looks, some being pure envy, others just thankful that the war was over. What I truly hated was the looks of pity that came my way. This was something I did not want or need. I hated having the feeling of being watched, looked after, and admired for something I had no control over when I was yet a year and half old. They said I was powerful, what do they know? Nothing. It was not a matter of power, and I'll still swear it today, it was a matter of a love for son, my mother was the true hero, but no one wanted to acknowledge this. It was only Harry Potter.  
  
I truly despise that name.  
  
The window was open as I gazed out into the night; sitting on the windowsill, much like my first night in this castle. Exams were all over, and I found myself wanting nothing more, than just to have my childhood back. Something that I had been deprived of. Something I could never have, and that was all I ever wanted. It was something unattainable, which made it all the more desirable. I stared at the green potion bottle; it was sitting across from me. I had found the potion, I brewed the damnedable thing, and it would give me what I wanted. At least a chance of something, a glimpse of hope, at least for a family. I only had to be brave enough to take it.  
  
The bottle was cool to the touch, the glass holding the innocence that I longed to have back, innocence that was taken from me, beaten out of me. That was something that I never truly had, I swirled the silver potion around, and it looked black inside the green bottle. It was so tempting, so very tempting indeed. Putting the bottle away in my robes, I heaved a sigh, it was an escape. I knew that. I had an out, if my life did not get better. Pushing my way off the windowsill I headed out of the seventh year dorm. Past the common room, and down the stairs that would lead into the Great Hall.  
  
I could hear the laughter, funny how that grated on my nerves as I stood beyond the doors. I was rooted to the spot. Not moving. Placing my hand back in the pocket, I caressed the smooth glass; a shiver ran from my hand, up my arm, and over that hurting heart. With the comfort of some peace I opened the door and headed into the Great Hall for the last time. I did not want the attention it caused, but it never failed, even after a month of having defeated Voldemort. The stares still continued. I sat down at the very end of the table, furtherest away from everyone. Furtherest away from the head table as possible.  
  
No one moved to sit near me; even Ron and Hermione had kept their distance. That was fine with me, we had grown apart this year, not fault of their own, they had been in love, and I felt like a third wheel. I did not want to draw attention; I wanted to be far away from all of this. Pumpkin juice swirled in the glass, it was one of my past times now, swirling pumpkin juice, it was a lot better trying to tell the future out of something one was drinking than to look blindly inside a crystal ball. Glancing around the hall, it dampened my mood further, a lot of students were not even here, and the last battle took place at Hogwarts. Something I never had wanted. How all the teachers survived was beyond me.  
  
Professor Snape was just looking at me. The usual sneer of malice gone, it had been that way for the last month. He did not have the dark mark anymore, just like my scar, it was gone. I noticed the last past week, he had taken to following me around. Something I'm sure Dumbledore put him up too. All the teachers were more attentive when it came to me. Even the way Dumbledore was looking at me now showed proof of that. Not wanting to eat, I sat the juice back down and walked back out of the hall. For me I wanted to walk away from it all. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
It had been four years since the trio graduated from Hogwarts. Hermione and Ron's relationship had progressed into one that was great and exciting at the same time, until they found out that Hermione couldn't have children. This was something Ron couldn't accept. He walked out of her life, and never looked back. Hermione had been just as crushed as he had been, if not worse. She had always wanted children. That night she had found Harry; all three of them had gone to the University. The three of them had gotten an apartment off the campus. Hermione and Ron had moved out when their relationship had grown to the point that Harry told them to leave, he didn't want to be the third wheel. Hermione and Ron had accepted this and found an apartment on their own. But she found herself back in Harry's apartment once again, crying her eyes out and laying everything out to Harry.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do Harry."  
  
"Just live your life, Hermione." Harry sat in the darkened corner of the room. Hermione looked up at him. This had been his favorite past time, she had observed, Harry clung to the shadows of any room he was in. It scared her at times to see her friend this way, she knew he was hurting inside, but he would never talk about it. Something that she longed for him to do.  
  
"I want children Harry."  
  
"Then adopt. It's not the end of the world."  
  
Hermione laughed. She had brought the same subject up with Ron, the subject repulsed him, and he was revolted about raising another's child. For her it wouldn't really matter, she didn't mind, but she knew a single Witch wouldn't be allowed to adopt a child on her own.  
  
"How can I, Harry?"  
  
The look Harry gave her scared her; he had a half snarl going on, one that reminded her of their beloved Potion's master back at Hogwarts. His eyes were half shut as he studied her.  
  
"How badly do you want a child?"  
  
Bad enough that I would consider adopting, Hermione thought to herself.  
  
"You didn't answer my question."  
  
"I have it in my power to get what you want. I'll ask again. How badly do you want a child?"  
  
Hermione's heart started to race. She didn't understand where he was going with this. At times Harry really could scare her, she knew he had a great childhood, knew that it affected him, affected him in such a way that he always seemed to walk a fine line on the dark side of the world. This was one thing that she liked about Harry, but she would never tell him. She had told Ron once, and he blew up at her, telling her flirting with darkness only brought about despair. But she couldn't help herself, she had been attracted to that, she was only thankful that she never told her friends that she had a fleeting crush on their Potion's Professor in her fifth and sixth year, Ron came around at the end of their sixth year so that her crush was pushed to the back of her mind. Her mind was brought back to the topic at hand, just how far was she willing to go to get what she wanted.  
  
"Is it legal?"  
  
Harry's dark brooding laugh filled the room and Hermione shivered.  
  
"It's not illegal if that suits you."  
  
Hermione stood and started pacing around the room, this was something knew to her. Harry was always skirting just this side of the law now. It had scared her and she had told him so just a few months back. She thought the reason had been because Harry had missed the adventures he had when he was in Hogwarts. But for the last few years, it was more than that; Hermione felt it was how he was raised. She turned and looked back at her friend, he had been watching her, and the glimpse of hope was in his eyes.  
  
"How can you get a child Harry?"  
  
For the first time she saw a relief was over her friend, something she hadn't seen in a long time. She didn't understand how one question, even a simple one could cause that reaction in him.  
  
"Not very hard Hermione." Harry pulled out a bottle and swirled the liquid within it.  
  
"Harry, what is that?"  
  
His eyes had a crazy lust to them as he looked at the bottle.  
  
"Innocence."  
  
He spoke barely above a whisper. Hermione had to strain to hear him. She walked closer to him and knelt down looking up into those lustful and hopeful eyes.  
  
"Harry, is that a de-aging potion?"  
  
Harry glanced at her, he didn't say a word, but Hermione knew she was correct.  
  
"Harry, why would you want to take something like that?"  
  
For the rest of the night, Hermione listened to Harry. Actually seeing him for the first time, hearing about his life and everything he had been through, she knew why he longed for innocence it was something he never had. Harry had told her of the abuse that the Dursley's caused him, showed her all his scars. What hurt Hermione even more were the scars that would never heal, the ones over Harry's heart, the one's that he truly longed to have healed. Even Hermione wanted to sooth that aching in his heart. The night had been long, and Harry had fallen asleep in Hermione's lap, his head resting their, Hermione found herself caressing that messy black head. She let herself cry, cry for all the wrong doings that Voldemort had caused Harry. Cry for even her parents that had been taken from her.  
  
Hermione stayed awake that night, Harry had asked, he was more than willing to become innocent again. If it was possible, she couldn't believe that he was so willing that he would give Hermione something that she longed for and something that he longed for at the same time. She loved Harry, she always had. But it was never more than a friend's love, at times she wanted it to go more than that, but it had never felt right, she looked back down at Harry. This was something he wanted; she could see how much he wanted this. But he had also told her his fears, of why he hadn't taken the potion sooner, he didn't want to go to an orphanage, he wanted someone to take him right away. He begged Hermione to think about it, he told her he knew that she wouldn't allow anything to happen to him, and that he would love giving her something she couldn't give herself.  
  
Hermione's mind reeled, she was working things out. She had to find out just how long Harry had been carrying that potion around with him. Slipping away from Harry she left him a note, told him she needed to look some things up in the library at the University. If this was going to happen she wanted to make sure there were no mistakes. They were dealing with Harry's life, and she didn't want anything to go wrong with this.  
  
It had been a long week of studying, exams were done and finished. Harry and Hermione were done with the University; she had a degree in Charms, and one in Potions. The only thing they had left to do was to graduate from the University. Hermione and Harry both received their degrees, that night they were in his apartment. That week both of them had worked out a way that would ensure Hermione would be able to adopt the child. Harry had come up with a brilliant plan and both of them had searched through records. Hermione now had full access to his vault at Gringotts, she had a letter pinned by Harry giving up the child to her, and that it was all legal. Hermione would be a mother, one thing she longed to be, and Harry would have his innocence back.  
  
Both of them sat and looked at the green bottle on the table, that little bottle held a lot inside, hopes, dreams, fears, and desire. It held a world within it.  
  
"Are you really sure, Harry?"  
  
"I've been waiting a long time for this Hermione. Nothing can go wrong. The potions life is five years. I have to take it soon or we have to make another batch."  
  
Harry looked from the bottle to her and down to the diaper bag. They had gone shopping, both of them together. He had picked out stuff along with her, it was rather funny buying clothes that was to small for himself, but he had gotten a kick out of it. Hermione had watched, she was excited, but at the same time was very scared of this whole situation. She wanted this, she knew, Harry wanted it.  
  
"Now or never Hermione." Harry stated.  
  
Hermione picked up the bottle. She swirled the contents around in the bottle, Harry had shown her another potion, one that floored her, that one they brewed together, it would make Harry really hers, it was designed for the child to drink it. It would make her his biological mother. It would change his total make up and one that was allowed under wizarding law for the adoptive parents to do. Ron didn't look to far into the world of adoption and everything that could be done. But Harry had, he had done this every since he left Hogwarts, Harry knew the ins and outs of everything when it came to adopting and changing the make-up of a child. He was an expert at this stuff. Hermione gave him the bottle and Harry uncorked it. The hiss of air released the seal and made both of them jump, they both were full of nerves.  
  
Harry put the bottle to his lips giving her a smile; he downed the contents of the bottle in one gulp. Hermione watched as Harry's form started changing and shrinking before her eyes. It didn't take long and there was a squalling child in the middle of robes, Harry's robes. Hermione's heart broke right then and there and picked up the squalling child that looked to be just under two years old. The potion was to take Harry back to the day he lost his innocence both of them figured it would take him back to the age that Voldemort had cast the killing curse on him. They were right. Harry was so small and so cute. Hermione couldn't resist holding him up to her chest and soothing that cry that emanated from him. Hermione put him in a diaper and the clothes they had bought. She sat down on the couch in the apartment and just stared at Harry in awe.  
  
"Well little man? First thing we do in the morning is get you adopted."  
  
Harry cooed at her. Hermione couldn't help but grin. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Summer holidays just started, Severus Snape was down in the dungeons working on some potions to store up the stocks in the infirmary. Poppy's supply was running low, not as low has it ever did when the golden trio were here, but still low enough that they needed to be replenished. Severus was stirring a cauldron when Albus walked into the classroom.  
  
"Flitwick just resigned." Albus said coming closer to Severus.  
  
"Why now?"  
  
"Said he didn't want to teach anymore." Albus ran a hand over his face exhaling.  
  
Severus looked up at the old wizard. Albus started showing his age more this past year, he knew Albus wouldn't retire; he would die doing this job. Poppy, Minerva, and himself had been watching him closely all year. Stepping in where he needed help.  
  
"What do you need me to do?" Severus asked.  
  
"Find us a new Charms Professor." Albus looked at his fellow colleague and one that he considered a son.  
  
"I'll do it." Severus gave him a sneer for good measure. Albus's eyes twinkled.  
  
"Thank you my boy. The University might be a good place to look." Albus turned and walked out of the dungeon.  
  
Severus went back to his cauldron. After the healing potions were done, Severus bottled up the supply and made a run up to Poppy. He would look into her stores again and select the next item he needed to stock up on. Severus passed the main hall were some of the teachers were heading out going home for the summer break. He never left the castle during the summer, never had a reason too. Even though he was free to do so now, he didn't have the drive and determination that it took to go outside the wards.  
  
Poppy was sitting with Minerva at her desk when Severus walked inside the hospital wing. He strolled over the cabinets that held the vast quantity of potions needed to help any child.  
  
"Albus said you were going to look for a Charms Professor." Minerva said.  
  
Poppy snorted.  
  
Severus glared at the medi-witch. "Do you doubt my abilities Poppy?"  
  
"When it comes to potions, no, not at all. When it comes to finding a Professor." She let her voice trail off.  
  
Minerva was hiding her grin behind her hand. "Now, Poppy. Albus wouldn't have asked him if he didn't feel that Severus couldn't handle the job."  
  
Poppy sat back in her chair, "I can see it now. Another brooding man to walk the halls of the castle, that is all we need now."  
  
Severus snarled at Poppy. "I'm the only brooding man in the castle, we don't need another."  
  
Minerva snickered.  
  
"Okay, no brooding man, that just means he'll find a brooding female." Poppy winked at Minerva.  
  
"It won't be a brooding anything." Severus said and spun around and walked out of the infirmary leaving the woman laughing behind him.  
  
Brooding indeed, a brooding female was the last thing the castle needed. There was enough darkness in Severus own heart to fill the castle alone. He knew the school couldn't handle another one. Severus walked back down to the dungeon, who ever he chose had to get along with the staff, and along with the students but willing to teach the retched little urchins. When he reached his office he sat down and brought a quill and paper to him. Severus started making a list of characteristics he would like to see in the new professor, he didn't care what race, creed, color, make-up, or even creature if there was ever such a creature that existed that could teach magic.  
  
Patience, this was at the top of his list. One thing he learned about teaching was that the person had to have a lot of this quality. Children he learned sorely stretched the patience of a teacher to the extreme. The next quality was the willingness to teach in of itself. They didn't need another Binns who just bored the children to death; History of Magic could be a lot better if they could find someone willing to teach that subject without putting all the children to sleep. Severus shook his head; he wasn't looking to replace a professor for that subject. The person also had to have a degree in Charms, no sense in even going past this one. If they didn't have a degree they wouldn't even be qualified, the school had enough bad experience with teachers who weren't even qualified to teach, though that had all been in one field, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Albus had found someone who had been qualified a year ago, and now Professor Longfellow was coming back the next year.  
  
Severus sat back, Professor Longfellow hadn't been a bad choice at all. Despite the rumors that had floated around the school, Severus had never wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. He just couldn't stand all the incompetent teachers that came through. Longfellow had shocked him though, he was good, better than Lupin had been and that was saying something. Lupin had been the best the school had had for the last eleven years. Severus frowned, Lupin had not survived the last battle, if he had, he would have had the job. Severus had told Albus to bring the man back after the trio's fifth year, but with the darkness looming Albus had left the werewolf where he wanted him, free to help the Order.  
  
Severus gave a snort, his mind went over to the golden trio, back to that last night, the last night of the feast. He thought he would have been happier seeing the bane of his existence walking away from the school, but he hadn't been. Potter for the last month had worried him that year. The boy wasn't the same after Voldemort had gone. Severus had noticed, all the Professors had noticed. Potter was retreating into himself, a shell of what he once had been. The night he left the feast, Severus had left through the door behind the teacher's table and followed Potter in the shadows. He noticed the boy stay in the shadows. He followed Potter to an empty classroom, one where he stood and looked out the window. Severus stayed back watching the boy, he had swirled a potion bottle, watching the rays of the moonlight glance off the bottle. Severus could swear he saw a lustful longing come over the boy as he stood there. More than once he almost made a dash for that bottle, but something stopped him. He didn't think Potter would kill himself. Albus would have known if Potter had brewed something that would kill himself.  
  
Severus shook off the memory of that night and looked back to the parchment in front of him. Intelligence was a must; intelligence would pay off, because the teacher had to deal with all of the houses. Being able to teach Ravenclaw was a hard job at times, those bright minds they had, would stump a teacher who was half intelligent. They wouldn't be able to last. Even some of the other houses had their share of smarter than average students. Each house had shared traits within itself. Some more than others, only a few times had he seen Slytherin in the other houses, one of those times had been within Potter himself. And it wasn't because the child had been a parselmouth, he had cunning. Sometimes more cunning than a true Slytherin.  
  
Groaning Severus pushed the parchment away. This hadn't been the first time he had found himself wondering about Potter. He had checked up on the boy, he was graduating this year along with his two sidekicks.  
  
"Granger and Weasley, no doubt married by now. Such a waste." Severus said into the office.  
  
Granger was a waste on the Weasley brat. A Weasley shouldn't be able to have that bright mind that she had. A Weasley wasn't deserving of it. A Weasley would only want her to be at home and bearing his children. He groaned at the thought. Granger needed more than that, Granger needed someone who could keep her at her wits end; Weasley wouldn't be able to hold her that way. She needed someone who would challenge her and not be put off in doing so. Someone who could control that Gryffindor quality about rushing into things, more often than not, if Hermione had been in another house she would have turned out quite different. Potter and Weasley wouldn't have brought out that quality of rushing into things before thinking them through. No doubt she's rushing into something right now that would probably be all wrong for her.  
  
"Hermione you foolish girl. What are you doing right now?" Severus looked out at the moon that was shining through the window.  
  
********  
  
"Hush, now. It'll be fine." Hermione soothed the baby on her hip while waiting for the bottle to warm to the right temperature.  
  
She pulled the bottle and tested it one last time. Baby Harry was being impatient, and reached out for the bottle. She was thankful that the temperature was right this time and watched as he suckled the bottle with all his might. Hermione turned off the magical stove and shifted Harry from her hip to her arms when she sat down in the rocking chair. He greedily suckling the bottle and was twirling his tiny fingers through her hair that fell over her shoulder.  
  
"You like that milk huh little man?"  
  
He blinked at her and kept twirling her hair.  
  
"You know, we have got to come up with a name for you. I can't go around calling you Harry James Potter now can I." Hermione smiled at him. "How about Robert Granger?"  
  
Harry squinted his nose up at this and Hermione laughed.  
  
"Nope doesn't sound good does it."  
  
He was shacking his head no at that.  
  
"How about Darien Granger, Darien Michael Granger? I like the sounds of that." She looked back down at Harry, his sleepy eyes started fluttering shut. "No argument huh? Well, you'll be Darien Michael Granger."  
  
She caressed the little cheek. They hadn't really discussed changing his name, but they had discussed changing her into his real mother, and with that, she was fairly sure he wouldn't mind her giving him a new name. This way he would be more apt to having a normal childhood this time. She watched as his eyes closed for the last time around those beautiful green eyes. She sighed, wondering at all would happen when she gave him the potion that would make him truly hers. She kept rocking well into the night, just holding him, and dreaming about what would come tomorrow when she would really be his mother, legally his. He would be hers. She fell asleep in the rocking chair that night holding Harry soon to be Darien. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Hermione had been so nervous sitting outside the Magical Adoption section in the Ministry of Magic. Harry had told her time and again that everything would be fine and the man she was going to see was completely trust worthy. Hermione looked down at Darien who was sitting up in the floor playing with a baby toy. It was a toy that had different shapes that fitted into the round ball. Darien was working those pieces trying hard to get them inside the ball. Hermione jumped when the door opened up and someone called her name.  
  
Bending over quickly Hermione inserted all the shapes in the ball. Darien clung to the little star shape and wouldn't give it up so she scooped the boy, toy and all up off the floor and headed into the office once she had the diaper bag slung across her shoulders. Brian Trenton, was sitting behind his desk shuffling papers. The witch that had shown them to his office said nothing and shut the door behind them. Brian looked up.  
  
"Miss Granger."  
  
Hermione smiled at him, trying to calm the swarming butterflies in her stomach. "Y.Yes sir."  
  
Brian gestured to the chair in front of his desk. He watched as Hermione sat the little boy on the floor and watched as she opened the ball letting all the shapes go over the floor. Darien trilled with delight as the shapes hit the floor and his little fingers clung to the ball and he tried vainly trying to get those pieces back inside again. Brian grinned at the child on the floor as he came around to watch.  
  
"You have the papers." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Hermione didn't know what Harry had told the man but she handed the thick packet to him. It wasn't illegal to go back to the state of childhood in the magical world. Harry knew all the laws concerning this. Hermione was thrilled that Harry had not only done research but also done it on his own. Brian flipped through the papers, his eyebrow arching in places and he looked back down at the little boy on the floor that had an oval shape in his mouth chewing on it and babbling happily.  
  
"Everything is in order. He even left a place for a new name. Have you considered a new name for him?" Brian asked.  
  
Hermione's eyes opened wider. Harry didn't tell her, but he left it open for her to give him a new name. "Yes. Darien Michael Granger."  
  
Brian smiled and bent down looking at the little boy. "Well Harry, you certainly knew what you where doing huh? Guess we can't call you Harry any longer. Darien Granger."  
  
Darien looked up at him and babbled.  
  
Brian smiled stood back up and walked behind his desk. "Did you bring the potion too?"  
  
Hermione fished the potion bottle out of her pocket in her robe and sat it on the desk. Brian picked it up and twirled in the light. "This is rare, but under the circumstances I can see why he would want to do this. I'll have you know he's been talking to me about this for four years now." Brian looked over to Hermione. "You must be very special in his life if he gave you this gift."  
  
Hermione blushed. "He's my best friend."  
  
Brian took up his quill and started writing on the papers. He looked at Hermione. "Come sign these."  
  
Hermione walked around the desk and Brian showed her every place to sign. Brian picked up the bottle of potion and walked back over to Darien and bent down. "Well Darien, are you ready to be your mother's son?"  
  
Darien babbled up at him.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes, then." Brian picked up the little boy and poured the potion in his mouth. Darien spat at the potion and Brian laughed a little. "Can't help the taste, this was all your idea anyway. So drink it."  
  
Darien complied and drank the rest of the potion down. Brian handed Darien to Hermione his mother now. Hermione watched as his eyes closed, she knew he would go into a magical sleep now for the next twelve hours as his body adjusted.  
  
"He's a beautiful little boy." Brian said.  
  
"Yes he is." Hermione agreed.  
  
Brian looked over the papers one more time. "One more thing Miss Granger. There is a clause in here. If you get married and your husband wants to adopt Darien the paternity potion can be given, only if the man knows who this child really is. These records will be sealed, no one will be able to open them unless you are the one to do so. Harry put a lot of thought into this, and there is a letter in this also to the man who wishes to do this. He's putting a lot of faith in you Miss Granger. Don't let him down."  
  
Hermione caressed Darien's cheek. "I don't plan on it." She looked back at Brian. "Harry said he trusts you, can ask I why?"  
  
"Certainly. Harry trusts me because he trusts my Grandfather. Even my Grandfather doesn't know anything about this Miss Granger. I was under strict orders not to tell, and I'll tell you. It's very hard to keep anything from Albus Dumbledore when he sets his mind into finding something out."  
  
Hermione smiled at Brian. "Thank you."  
  
"My pleasure, just give that boy a normal childhood."  
  
"What's going to happen when everyone finds out Harry Potter is gone?"  
  
Brian shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Harry Potter doesn't exist anymore."  
  
Hermione reached down for the diaper bag and Brian put the shape toy back inside for her. Hermione was now a mother, she was grinning from ear to ear carrying Darien out of his office. He was hers. She was to busy watching Darien sleep when she was walking down the hall and into the elevator that she didn't notice who was inside when she stepped in herself.  
  
"Who are you babysitting for Hermione?"  
  
Hermione looked up and saw Percy Weasley with Mr. Weasley. Prefect Percy will tattle to Ron. Mr. Weasley had yet to say anything but regarded the child in her arms with interest. Hermione looked at Darien and then back to the two men.  
  
"He's mine."  
  
Percy scoffed while Mr. Weasley shown shock.  
  
"Who in their right mind would let a single Witch adopt a child?" Percy glared down at her and Darien. "More likely you did something illegal, give me that child."  
  
Hermione backup to the wall, "I'll do no such thing Percy Weasley. He's mine and it is very legal."  
  
Mr. Weasley put an arm across his son's chest. "Leave her alone Percy."  
  
Hermione left the elevator as soon as the door opened and let out a breath she had been holding. Her heart was pounding. And this was something she had been dreading, having Ron's family find out. She walked quickly out of the ministry; she hoped she could get to the apartment before Ron ever got his owl from Percy. Ron had a temper; it was that red hair of his. She had seen his mother blow up enough to know it ran from her. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of that temper when it came about.  
  
********  
  
Severus had spent that morning at the University, something he really didn't want to do. But he did walk away with a few names of some qualifying candidates for the job. One of them didn't shock him at all. He knew Hermione Granger was smart, she graduated top of her class at Hogwarts and did again at the University. She had a degree in Charms and in Potions, he shook his head at this, always the over achiever.  
  
Walking across the lawn of the University he walked over to the apartments, the addresses of the students were all listed. He made his way to the building that housed Hermione, she listed her address and that she had a roommate when he looked at the roommate name he almost groaned. She hadn't been with Weasley, she'd shared an apartment with Potter. This intrigued him, he was certain that Weasley was the love of her life. It was sickening the way those two were looking at each other their last year at Hogwarts.  
  
Severus started up the stairs that would take him to the apartment when he heard the banging and shouting.  
  
"Come on Hermione, I know you're in there. Now open up!"  
  
Severus stopped and looked at the youngest Weasley male of the Weasley clan. He had grown more sense his last year at Hogwarts, was very tall and broad chested, his face was red with anger.  
  
"Damn you Hermione, whose baby is that?" He continued to yell into the door.  
  
Severus took a step back down the stairs. Baby! Had to be Potter's, who else could it be you stupid red head. She's living with him for Merlin sake. Severus decided to go see one of the other students, even though he was tempted to listen to this drivel that was playing out before him. He reached the bottom of the step when the last phrase would be ringing inside his mind for the rest of the day.  
  
"Damn it Hermione, I know you're barren, you couldn't have had that child. Now open this damn door and talk to me."  
  
Severus had interviewed the other four candidates that the University had given him, he wasn't pleased with them. It was near dinnertime when he had finished and decided he had enough for one day and went back home to Hogwarts. The single table in the hall was ready for dinner by the time he arrived and he sat down next to Albus, Minerva and Poppy being the only other teachers left in the school. It was the four of them, it had been this way for the last four years, and Severus had liked this. The three of them knew him rather well, and knew when he would talk and when he wouldn't.  
  
Albus had glanced at him over his glasses. "Didn't have a good day Severus?"  
  
Severus shrugged.  
  
Poppy spoke next. "Did you find anyone for the position yet?"  
  
Severus shook his head no.  
  
"What happen today?" Minerva asked.  
  
Severus looked up at her and shook his head no. He went back to his meal only half picking at it. A baby? How in the hell did she get a baby if she was barren? This had to be one of Potter's bright ideas. He snorted. The other three at the table looked at him.  
  
"I'm fine." He told them.  
  
Albus kept looking at him, and then he asked. "Did you talk to Miss Granger?"  
  
Severus turned his head sharply to Albus. How the hell? Who am I kidding, Albus knows everything. "No." He didn't talk to her, found somethings out but didn't talk to her.  
  
"Why not consider Miss Granger, Severus? Are you that vain that you would over look one of the brightest minds in our world right now?" Minerva threw the gauntlet down.  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "I considered Miss Granger, I'm still considering Miss Granger."  
  
"She would be a welcome addition to this school." Poppy told him.  
  
"What of her child?" Severus asked while raising his eyebrow. He loved the shocked expressions on the others faces.  
  
"Well, we would have to consider asking her husband if he would want to come to Hogwarts or finding them a place in Hogsmead." Albus said.  
  
Severus looked down at his plate. "She isn't married."  
  
He heard the gasps. Even he had looked into this. He was shocked himself. This was something he never would have considered Miss Granger doing. She wasn't the type that would not have a child out of wedlock, yet she had one. And being barren at that. That was a mystery he wouldn't mind solving, to find out why such a bright person would do such a thing. Not that he didn't mind seeing Weasley suffer in the process. He groaned, he should have never have left. Weasley wouldn't do anything rash? Or would he? Severus pushed himself away from the table and stalked out of the Great Hall, not answering the calls of his friends behind him. He had to find out, something inside him was wanting to know that she was okay. Not that he didn't think she could take care of herself, knowing that Potter would protect her, but he had to know. 


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
"Damn Ron!" Hermione walked briskly down the London street that would take her to the Leaky Caldron. "Damn him to hell!" She cradled Darien to her, the only saving grace she had was that he was sleeping through all of this, the magical sleep would be breaking soon and she didn't want to return to the apartment. Ron had broken through the wards, he had ran sacked the apartment. Hermione had fled once she saw the destruction he had left behind. Her only thought was getting away, hiding. She didn't like this feeling of being cornered. Harry had always been the one to step in between them when things got out of hand, now he wasn't there to do it.  
  
Hermione opened the tavern door and walked to the bar. Tom was behind the counter, the place was near empty this time of night. Tom grinned at her. "What a pleasure Miss Granger. Is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
Hermione sat down at the bar, Tom glanced at the bundle in her arms and saw the haggard look on her face.  
  
"Are you in trouble Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione's shoulders slumped. "I need a room."  
  
Tom gave her nod and walked around from the bar. "Come with me. We won't bother with the register."  
  
Hermione could have kissed him right there if she hadn't been so tired. She had only taken what she thought she absolutely needed. Tom picked up the diaper bag and the other duffle and carried them upstairs for the girl. He hadn't asked anything else about the child in her arms, but he figured she'd get around to telling him what the problem was if he took things slow with her. He had seen a few witches in his time that were running from problems, more often than not they always ended up running from a wizard. This was nothing new to him, and when he took one of those lost strays in he always helped them out. It had been his wife who started this, God rest her soul, but he found himself not being able to let go of the job once she passed on.  
  
Reaching the room he reserved for situations as this, he unlocked the warded door, it was one of the rooms in his private part of the tavern. This room had it's own bathroom, so the person inside needn't bother with being discovered if that was the case by using the loo down the hall for the other guest.  
  
Hermione looked around the room, it was perfect. Not like home, but at least Ron didn't know where she was. She looked up at Tom, he still hadn't asked and she was grateful, but she knew she had to tell him something. "I.I don't really know what to say."  
  
"Tell me in the morning. The door to the right leads to the stairs that enter the kitchen. Don't bother going the normal way. You won't be seen that way." Tom gave her a reassuring pat and closed the door behind her and the child.  
  
Hermione collapsed on the bed with Darien in her arms. She warded the door and prayed that Ron didn't find her. His anger was bad enough. The first few times that Ron had hit her she had hid everything from everyone. Ron was abusive, and when she didn't become pregnant that would send him off also. She shuttered when she remembered the abuse he would do to her. She pulled Darien closer.  
  
"Well, I don't know if you still have that knack for trouble finding you. But I think you do little one. You know what, even being a fully trained witch, I'm scared shitless."  
  
Darien nuzzled closer to her in his sleep and Hermione closed her eyes. She would have to think of something else in the morning. The morning would look a lot better she kept telling herself.  
  
********  
  
Severus stepped up on the landing and saw the door partly open, he drew his wand. Stepping closer to the door he called out. "Miss Granger, Potter?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
He opened the door slowly. The room was a mess. Severus picked his way across shattered furniture, drawers that had been ransacked. He continued on in the apartment. Did Weasley do all of this? He looked around for any traces of blood, he didn't want to find any that was for sure, but he looked all the same. Going back out of the apartment, he went back down the stairs. The night air was calm, to calm for his liking. Leaving his wand out he placed it in his palm.  
  
"Point me Harry Potter."  
  
The wand spun and kept spinning. Severus glared at the blasted thing. What was wrong with it? It had always worked before. Stopping the wand he did another.  
  
"Point me Hermione Granger."  
  
The wand pointed north. Severus head in that direction. It took a very strong wizard to make a point me spell work through wards. Most of the Aurors couldn't do it. Albus had showed him how do concentrate on the point me spell in such a fashion that he would be able to find anyone. His mind went back to the spinning, when he had command the spell for Potter. It should have worked. He would have to ask Albus. Potter hadn't been able to ward himself that well not to have the point me spell work. Severus had checked on Potter not but six months ago. It had become a habit to check up on the boy, even while he was at the University. He always told Albus what he had found out. The first year the trio had been at the University Severus thought he would have to intervene at one point, it seemed that the throws of depression were in full swing with him. Severus was afraid the boy would do something foolish like take his own life. Albus had this fear also, they had seen it on the night he left Hogwarts, seen it in his eyes that the boy didn't want to live.  
  
Severus Apparated further north and checked the spell ever so often, it finally pointed him in another direction soon he was standing at the door to the Leaky Caldron and stepped inside. Weasley was at the bar. Severus narrowed his eyes as he watched the young man along with two other Auror. Weasley was a full trained Auror now, he had been accepted as one this past year.  
  
"So you didn't see her Tom?" The brown head asked.  
  
"I haven't seen Miss Granger. I haven't seen her since the last time she was in, that was about four months back, she came in with Harry Potter."  
  
Severus noticed that Ron grimaced at this. Good! What he saw back at that apartment made him clearly mad. But Auror could get away with certain things, and ransacking an apartment was one of them. Severus walked silently to the shadow of the bar, they hadn't noticed his presence. He had years of practice with this. He knew Hermione was here, knew Tom was lying to protect her. Albus would be proud, the Leaky Caldron was a safe haven for anyone on the run. The younger Weasley wasn't in the Order, but he doubted whether or not Molly or Arthur would tell their son about this place.  
  
A few more questions were asked nothing that Severus could glean from. The three Auror left and Severus came out of the shadows. Tom glanced up at him and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"How much did you hear?"  
  
"Enough to know that you're lying."  
  
Tom grinned at Severus.  
  
"What can I get you?"  
  
Severus took a seat at the bar. "Butterbeer. Nothing strong tonight."  
  
Tom gave him a nod and poured him the drink and took a seat himself beside Severus.  
  
"What's going on, Severus?"  
  
"Not sure, I'm still trying to work that out for myself."  
  
Severus and Tom sat in silence for a while, and then Severus told Tom everything he knew about the situation, Tom in return told him everything he knew.  
  
"She's upstairs and fine then?"  
  
"I wouldn't say fine. She wasn't hurt, but she was frightened, I know the look. She was clutching that child like it was a lifeline." Tom took the last drink of his butterbeer and walked to the front door of the tavern and locked up. He walked back behind the bar and poured himself another and refilled Severus's as well.  
  
"She won't be safe for long with Aurors after her." Severus said out loud.  
  
Tom nodded in agreement. "Just wish I knew what she was running from."  
  
Severus swirled the butterbeer. "I want to see her Tom, just to check on her. Its not that I don't trust you. I do."  
  
"No need to say it. Dumbledore would shoot us both if I didn't let you check on her." Tom stood up. "Come on."  
  
Severus followed Tom up the stairs and to the door, Tom undid his wards that he had cast on the door after he had shut it, and tried the door, it wouldn't open. Severus smiled, she warded the door, smart girl. Severus said some spells and tried the door for himself, not smart enough, he opened the door and stepped inside. Tom and Severus both looked at the young woman asleep, her brow was furrowed, she wasn't sleeping peacefully. Severus glanced at the child that was lying in her arms, he had come out of the covers, and his hair was black with red tint on the end. Not Weasley's. He walked closer to the bed and studied the child more, he looked like Granger, but a part the of him didn't. That little nose, so much like Potter's. Even the brow of the forehead. This had to be Potter's child. But where was Potter? Severus looked back at Tom, he gave the man a slight nod and turned and left the room. After Tom shut the door Severus put up his own wards. No Auror could break into that. Severus sat down in the only chair in the room and waited for morning. He wanted answers, and the only person who could give them was lying in the bed asleep with a little boy in her arms. 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Hermione woke to the sound of crying. Darien! Her mind so intent on soothing the infant that she didn't notice the person in the shadow of the room.  
  
"Shhh, it'll be fine." Hermione talked soothingly to Darien as she pulled things from the diaper bag by the bed. She changed him, which only soothed him somewhat. "I know you're hungry, just give me a little time." Hermione then conjured a bottle of milk and said a warming spell over it. She tested it to her arm, and then said the warming spell one more time. She put the bottle in Darien's mouth, which stopped his crying. Laying him in the middle of the bed and moving the pillows him she stood up dancing in place she had to go Mother Nature was calling and if she didn't go soon she would bust.  
  
Severus sat and grinned at the sight. She hadn't noticed him at all, and she was a perfect mother, he noticed that right off. Damn that Potter brat! Had a child with her then leaves her all alone. Hermione rushed to the bathroom she didn't have to turn in order to get there so Severus stayed where he was. Waiting patiently.  
  
When Hermione exited the room her eyes widened and she stopped in place, her heart was racing seeing Professor Snape sitting quietly in the room looking from her to Darien.  
  
"W.W."  
  
"Spit it out, Miss Granger." He left his voice even. He didn't want to frighten her more than what she already was.  
  
Hermione stared at him, he had no menacing words for once, and his tone of voice was neutral which put her on edge right away. But then she remembered that their last month of school had been that way. She relaxed a little but not much.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
Severus looked at her, she was still scared and he told himself to go slow. "I was sent to find you. Offer you the Charms Professor position at Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione furrowed her brow. "What happen to Professor Flitwick?"  
  
"He decided to retire."  
  
Hermione moved slowly back over to the bed and sat down and looked over at Darien he was still getting his morning bottle. This wouldn't fill him totally up; he was eating baby cereal also. He would need that in an hour. She looked back over at Professor Snape. If she went to Hogwarts would Ron be able to come into the school? Would she be able to go now or have to wait until the new term started? Questions after questions assaulted her thinking.  
  
Severus noticed her mind her working; he could almost see her gathering the questions. This used to irritate him, but for once he wanted to know why someone so curious who had all the answers didn't seem to have them now.  
  
"When would I have to be there?"  
  
Severus almost grinned at this one, but he held back. His mind kept screaming to him about getting her to Hogwarts. "When ever you feel ready, if you accept the job."  
  
He watched her take a little longer. "I accept. Can we leave after Darien has had his bottle?"  
  
"Yes." Darien? What's his last name? Severus had more questions, but at least he had the name of the child, now.  
  
Hermione stood up, she looked back over to Severus, she needed a shower and to change, but she wasn't sure if Professor Snape would watch Darien that long. But she felt gritty. "Would.would."  
  
"Would, what, Miss Granger?"  
  
"Would you watch Darien while I change?"  
  
Severus saw the look on her face. She was weary about doing this. Who wouldn't be? It wasn't like he was around children, it was just no one had ever seen him around one so young before. Severus waved her off to the bathroom. Hermione gathered her clothes and rushed inside. Standing he walked closer to the bed and looked down at Darien.  
  
"And just where is your father?" Severus asked Darien.  
  
Darien kicked his little legs out and kept a hold of his bottle with both hands, then he released one of them and reached up for Severus. Severus moved back so that Darien wasn't touching him.  
  
"What do you want? I hope you know your father didn't like me very much. I bet you won't either."  
  
Severus stared on as the little boy pulled his bottle out of his mouth and grinned up at him. He smirked at the child, "None of that now." Then gave the little boy a scowl, which only seemed to make him giggle. Severus shook his head. "Hope you know that was my best scowl that scares the first years at Hogwarts."  
  
Darien didn't seem to mind this scowl and kept giggling.  
  
Hermione was under the hot water. Her mind thinking, she had a job, and a place she had always felt like she was at home. Hogwarts! She had always felt safe there, Harry had said the same. Well, what more would Darien want than to at least go home to Hogwarts. Hermione smiled at this. Then frowned. She never saw any of the teachers with children at Hogwarts. What would happen to Darien while she was teaching? She didn't want to leave him with anyone. She really didn't have anyone that she could leave him with. Maybe going to Hogwarts wasn't the smartest thing to do. She finished up her shower and dressed and was coming out of the loo when she heard that giggle, it was Darien. She looked at the bed. Severus was sitting on the edge of it talking to Darien and Darien was giggling at him. Hermione covered her mouth before the laughter escaped her. She never would have thought Professor Snape big bad Potion's Master of Hogwarts would just sit there and talk to a baby, like it was only natural to do.  
  
"I see I'm not going to get any answers from you. Are you sure you don't know where your father is?"  
  
Hermione held her breath. She knew where his father was, he was dead, only Professor Snape was thinking of the wrong Potter. Severus turned toward the bathroom and Hermione removed her hand from her mouth.  
  
"He's not very talkative is he?" He asked her.  
  
"Nope, likes to giggle a lot." Hermione put her dirty robes in her bag and zipped everything up. She looked back at Professor Snape.  
  
"Where's Potter?" Severus asked her.  
  
Hermione glanced at Darien, his legs kicking madly in the air. She looked back at Severus, she knew this question would come, but she wasn't ready to answer that. "I'm not sure."  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes. "What happened Hermione? I can't see Potter just running off and leaving this child. He wouldn't do that. Not growing up without his own father." He saw the fear in her eyes as she kept glancing to Darien. Damn Potter for doing this to her. He could tell he wasn't going to get an answer out of her yet. "Come get your son, Hermione."  
  
He watched her pick Darien up and the look in her eyes was one of gratefulness. Don't be grateful yet, I'm letting this slide for right now, Severus thought. Just wait until Albus sees you and Darien, you won't be able to keep quiet on this for long. Anyone who knows what Potter looks like can tell that this boy belongs to him.  
  
Severus stood and grabbed the two bags. "We can Apparate from here. Have you Apparated with two people before?"  
  
Hermione shook her head no.  
  
"Give me Darien, you take the bags. It would be better if one of the bags was splinched than your son."  
  
Hermione looked down at Darien who had the bottle back in his mouth. The milk was almost gone. She looked back at Severus.  
  
"I'll give him right back Miss Granger."  
  
Hermione handed Darien over to him. Severus held the child, placing his head on his shoulder and keeping his hand there so he could Apparate with him. Both of them left and were standing at the front gates to Hogwarts. Hermione looked over at Darien, in that short amount of time he had fallen asleep next to Severus. She guessed the Apparating had made him do it. Severus looked down at the little boy.  
  
"What?" He asked her.  
  
"He's asleep."  
  
"Do you want him back now?"  
  
"I don't want to wake him up."  
  
Severus gave her a nod and walked into the main gates up to the school. Hermione walking beside him. She didn't want to wake him up? But yet she trusted him enough with Potter's child. The little hand was clinging tightly to his robes. Severus closed his eyes, Darien had a very unique scent. He smelled like baby yes, but he also smelled like Harry. Even James had his own scent, he never knew a child that didn't have their own unique scent, something that wasn't like their parents. How did Darien end up smelling like Harry? His nose was attuned to smells, working with potions for so long made him that way. Severus had more questions now, and Hermione didn't want to supply any answers as of yet.  
  
They continued on into the school. Minerva met them at the front door.  
  
"Where have you been? Albus has been asking if you've gotten back yet. Running off and not telling us anything." Minerva glared at Severus, but she eased off some when she noticed the child in his arms and she glanced at Hermione. "Did you accept the job?"  
  
Hermione smiled slowly up at her old head of house. "Yes I did." Then she looked over at Darien. "This is Darien, Professor McGonagall."  
  
"Call me Minerva." Minerva looked at the little boy asleep on Severus's shoulder then back to Hermione. "Where's his father?"  
  
Hermione looked down and away from her.  
  
"That's seems to be the million galleon question Minerva." Severus told her. 


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Hermione wasn't sure how she was going to answer all the questions about Darien's father. She could tell them the truth, it wouldn't be lying to say he was dead, he really was. Hermione followed Minerva and Severus through the castle to Dumbledore's office. She felt immensely better knowing she was safe inside Hogwarts again. Darien was still asleep on Severus's shoulders. The snicker and the grin that wanted to escape her at the sight of Darien being carried by Severus almost came out a time or two. She noticed Minerva grinning wickedly at Darien and Severus.  
  
"You look natural with Darien in your arms Severus." Minerva told him while they were going up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.  
  
Severus snarled and glared at her. Hermione did snicker at that and Severus glanced down at her. Hermione looked away. The door to Dumbledore's office was open before them and Severus let the woman go inside first. Hermione stood while Minerva sat down in one of the chairs before Dumbledore's desk. She saw her Headmaster looking at her, well her new boss now.  
  
"Have a seat Hermione. Would you care for a lemon drop?"  
  
Hermione shook her head no to both. She shifted from one foot to another.  
  
Severus noticed the action behind her. He noticed several other things as well, Hermione wasn't the same witch that she was when she was in Hogwarts. She seemed rather unsure of herself, not typical behavior for one as bright as she was. Nor from someone who came from Gryffindor. Severus came up behind her and leaned down so he could speak softly in her ear.  
  
"Have a seat, Albus won't let anything happen. Neither will I."  
  
Hermione looked at him for that short moment. Severus could see the fear in her eyes. What are you so afraid of? Surly she wasn't afraid of Albus, nor any of the Professors at Hogwarts. She slowly went to the chair next to Minerva and sat down. Severus saw Albus motion for him and he walked over to him and let him look at Darien. He saw Albus look back over at Hermione.  
  
"What happen Hermione?" Albus asked her.  
  
What happen? Everyone wanted to know this. Hermione glanced over at Darien still asleep as Severus walked over to the window with him. She knew he was listening. "Percy told Ron I had Darien."  
  
She looked back down in her lap.  
  
Severus turned and kept thinking, his nose catching the scent of Harry, but he knew the little boy was called Darien. Harry, Darien, his mind kept going back and forth.  
  
"What did Ron do after he found out?" Albus asked.  
  
Still looking at her lap she answered. "He was angry, he came to the apartment. I wasn't inside. I was next door at a friend's place. We waited for him to leave."  
  
Darien moved and the bottle he was holding dropped to the floor, Severus looked down at the empty milk bottle, he reached up and started rubbing small circles on the boy's back, he settled back down into sleep. Everyone was watching the gesture he did with the boy and he scowled back at the three. Albus and Minerva grinned at him, Hermione registered shock on her face. Severus arched an eyebrow at her daring her to say something to him. She looked back down and away. In her last year at school Hermione had never looked away from him, she had even started speaking up for herself, not that she never had to begin with, now she didn't even try. This bothered Severus. Damn you Potter! What did you do this young woman? Or was it Potter? Harry's scent came back to him, Severus lowered his head and placed his nose in Darien's hair, so much like Harry. Not that he had ever gotten this close to Harry, but he had gotten close enough to him to know his scent.  
  
"What happen after he left?" Albus continued on.  
  
"I packed what Darien and I needed and left, it wasn't safe to stay at the apartment anymore. It was ransacked."  
  
Severus noticed the fear in her eyes, Albus sat back he knew he had noticed it too, and Minerva patted Hermione on her hand.  
  
"I see." Albus said, then looked back over to Darien and Severus then back over to Hermione. "Where was Harry? Why didn't he help you? That doesn't sound like Harry not to help out a friend."  
  
Hermione fidgeted in her seat. "Harry couldn't help, I'm sure he would if he knew, but he wasn't around to help." Hermione told him, then thought to herself, it's not a lie, I can't lie to the Headmaster but I can't tell him the whole truth.  
  
Albus took out his wand and did the point me spell. Severus watched as Albus's wand did the same as his did last night. Severus saw the shock on Albus's face and he turned to him. "Severus, can you do the spell?"  
  
"I tried last night Albus. It seems to have stopped working for Potter."  
  
Darien took that moment to wake up and look around him, Severus glanced at the little boy in his arms. He was looking at him trying to figure him out then grinned at him, and turned around in Severus's arms. When he saw Hermione he started wiggling furiously trying to get out of his arms. Severus stood the boy down on the ground. Darien was holding his hand and toddling over to Hermione.  
  
"It would seem little Mr. Potter has decided to join the land of awake now." Albus said grinning at the boy.  
  
"His name is not Potter. It's Granger, Darien Michael Granger." Hermione corrected the Headmaster.  
  
"His father is Potter." Severus stated.  
  
"Yes." Hermione said looking right at him as Darien released his hand and went into his mother's arms. I didn't lie, Hermione thought, I'm telling the truth. Just not the truth you're thinking.  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes and watched as Darien settled down in his mother's lap. Hermione opened the diaper bag and pulled out a toy and Darien started playing. Severus continued to watch the two.  
  
"Then where is Harry?" Minerva asked.  
  
Hermione didn't say a word, Severus couldn't get the thought out of his head, she said yes, she confirmed Potter was his father, but.then it dawned on him. He didn't make the distinction between Harry and James. He only said the last name. The scent was Harry, Harry had been depressed, Severus had thought he would likely take his life, even Albus had thought of the same thing. The boy had gone through too much, the bad seemed to had out weighted the good. The night of the ending feast jumped to the forefront of his mind, Potter with the potion bottle. Just what was in that bottle? Severus looked back at Darien. Potter wouldn't have allowed his son to have the Granger name, not if it was his heir. He had to go back to that apartment, find something that was Harry's, something that he wore.  
  
Severus left the three adults. Hermione was holding her own, she would be safe with Albus and Minerva. Reaching the end of the wards on the grounds Severus Apparated back to Potter's apartment. He started searching through the mess, under one of the couch cushions he found a green bottle, bringing it to his nose he sniffed. De-aging Potion.  
  
"Potter! You foolish boy."  
  
Severus pocketed the bottle and then searched some more and found one of Potter's robes, he brought it to his face and sniffed. There was no mistaking it. Darien was Harry. Severus slid down the wall holding the robe.  
  
"Why? Was your life that hard?" Severus asked to the room.  
  
He sat for a long time, going over everything in his mind that he knew about Harry. About the skinny small boy who looked smaller than his age, almost fragile at times. Severus kept going over everything, every memory he ever had of Harry came rushing to the forefront of his mind. The only time he ever saw a true happy look on the boy was when he was in the air flying. He'd laugh with his friends, but sometimes Severus would catch that look of it being forced.  
  
"We asked to much from him. He found a way out. Even with this way out he's still having problems."  
  
Severus stood. Something in him clicked as he studied the robe, Harry still needed help, and Hermione wouldn't be able to get through this alone. Pulling the potion bottle out one more time he sniffed it again. It was old, the contents inside almost expired. Harry had been carrying that potion around with him. How long? How long had it been? Severus's mind raced over the contents of the potion, raced over the side effects. The potion was made properly, but would the age have a factor. His mind wasn't giving him the answers. He needed to check on something. Something in the back of his mind wouldn't allow him to let this go. Something was still not right.  
  
When Severus arrived back at the castle it was dinnertime, he rushed down into the dungeon, he would eat dinner after he looked at one of his books. Opening the wards to his chambers he walked over to his bookcase and tossed the robe to the floor, he hadn't let it go until now. He flipped through the pages and found what he was looking for.  
  
It read:  
  
In the case of each year the potion lingers, the memories of the drinker will be more apt to remain. In case of a potion close to the expiration point, the drinker will retain full memories of his past life. While de- aging is still possible, total memory loss will not come to fruition.  
  
Severus scanned further down.  
  
In case of a paternity potion, the drinker will change into the features of the paternity giver. While the de-aging, innocence potion is best effective the first twenty-four hours after it is brewed, the paternity potion can help, only if the drinker has a new set of parents. With the case of a long shelf potion having been drunk, the drinker will still have his memories even if the paternity potion has been given from the new sets of parents. It is therefore advised, if the drinker wishes to have not only his age back to the time of innocence he or she would be better off doing so in the first twenty-four hours the potion has been brewed.  
  
"Bloody Hell!" Severus slammed the book shut. "You're still rushing into things without the full information and knowledge that you need. How many times did I tell them? How many times did I tell you that Gryffindor bravery would get you in trouble?"  
  
Severus walked out of his chambers very angry, angry not only with Potter but also with himself for not taking that potion away the night that he saw him with it. He made his way into the Great Hall, Hermione was sitting at the table. Darien was sitting beside her in a baby chair, the only chair left empty was beside Darien. Severus walked up and sat down. He looked over at Darien.Harry he kept thinking to himself, but she calls him Darien now. Severus kept warring within his own mind about what he just found out. He glared at the little boy who only giggled at him.  
  
Severus shook his head, this boy was not supposed to be doing this, not knowing that Severus knew he had all his memories. Yet Severus couldn't fathom why he would think it was funny. Sitting back he realized, yes Potter would think this situation would be funny, the nasty mean git of a potion's master didn't know it was him. And Severus had actually grinned at the boy this morning. No wonder Potter kept giggling at him.  
  
Severus leaned over to Darien. "You and I are going to have to have a talk."  
  
Darien turned to him and reached for his nose, which he grabbed a hold of then the child giggled all the more. Even the other adults started laughing at the sight before them.  
  
"Well, seems our Potion Master doesn't scare Darien." Albus observed.  
  
Severus threw Albus a reproachful look while he dislodged his nose from the boy's little hand. "I think it's more of a matter that we understand each other Albus." 


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Over the next three weeks Severus found a new past time, well, one that he had before when the trio had been at Hogwarts. Keeping an eye Darien. Darien with all the memories of Harry fully intact made him nervous. Even more so, when a few of the other Professors started coming back. It was mainly the Divination Professor that rankled Darien. Darien would either sit in his mother's lap at meal times or hide behind Severus to get away from the airy witch.  
  
Hermione didn't understand why Darien was acting this way. But she had noticed that Darien had taken a rather keen interest in Severus. Looked up to Severus to be his protector. Hermione knew, that Professor Snape had saved Harry's life on more than one occasion while he had been in school. She still couldn't fathom why Darien took to him that way though. The de- aging, innocence potion was taken to erase memories as well as place the person back to the age of innocence. Yet she didn't understand why Darien gravitated towards certain Professors yet was scared of others.  
  
Severus was waiting for Hermione to make the first move, he had seen her watching Darien and how he reacted around everyone. He knew he was acting like Potter, he even saw Albus notice this, and knew Albus had it figured out even though Severus had never said a word that Darien was Harry. Albus had that all-knowing twinkle back in his eye, he was amused at everything Darien did.  
  
The owl swooped down and landed in front of Albus. Darien was in Hermione's lap as she was feeding him scrambled eggs. The only time the boy had a bottle with him now was in the morning, before naptime, and before he went to bed. The rest of the time you could find him eating small bits of food either from Hermione's plate or Severus's. He smooched off of Minerva's, Poppy's, and Albus's as well, but he stuck with Hermione and Severus the most.  
  
Severus noticed the look on Albus's face, it was one of worry and he glanced straight away at Darien.  
  
"What is it Albus?" Severus asked.  
  
"Fudge is calling for a search for Harry Potter, it seems is presence has now been put on the missing list."  
  
Everyone looked at the screaming child in Hermione's arms. He was pushing the fork away and scrambling to get down out of her lap.  
  
"Darien stop this." Hermione told him.  
  
Darien wasn't paying attention to his mother, he wanted down. Darien looked over at Severus and Severus could see the fear in the boy's eyes. He had heard what Albus had said. Severus pushed his chair back and once Darien got out of his mother's grasp he flung himself at Severus. Severus scooped him up and Darien clung to his neck. He looked back at Albus. Albus nodded towards Hermione, Hermione looked almost as scared as Darien had looked. Severus stood up.  
  
"Come with me, Hermione."  
  
Hermione stood and followed Severus out of the Great Hall. Severus went straight to her chambers and said the password, Hermione had a fail-safe on her chambers. With Darien around the Professors wanted a little measure of security, so each of them had their own password that could get into Hermione's chambers with Darien if needed. Severus sat Darien in the floor, he had several toys he could play with. Between the other Professors Darien had gotten some more clothes and toys to occupy his time with.  
  
Severus followed Hermione off into the alcove part of the chamber, Hermione sat down at the desk that was there and turned to face him. Severus conjured up a chair and sat in front of her. It was no longer time for her to keep running, time had just ran out.  
  
"I know Darien is Harry. I know about the potions he's taken. Hermione, what else is going on?"  
  
Hermione stared at Severus as if he just sucked all the air out of the room. He reached over and touched her hand that was on her leg and Hermione jumped and pushed the chair back as far as it would go. Severus looked down and glared, the anger clearly showing on his face, he took a few steadying breaths. No wonder she is so frightened, he thought to himself, she's been hit before, maybe even more than that. She wasn't this way while she was in Hogwarts. Severus looked back up at her.  
  
"Hermione, listen to me. Darien has all of Harry's memories, in order to protect him, the paternity potions have to be finished."  
  
Hermione started shaking her head. "That's impossible. Darien can't have his memories; the potion isn't designed that way. It's designed to bring innocence back."  
  
"That is exactly what the potion does if it is taken soon enough. That potion was almost expired, I could smell it. It was weak, Darien has all of Harry's memories, and he has Harry's scent because he's still a Potter. They are going to come looking for him, and when they find him like this they'll try to take him away."  
  
"They can't he's mine." Hermione stood up and tried to go over to Darien, Severus stood up and stopped her.  
  
He held her arms and made her face him.  
  
"Yes, he's yours, because of the paternity potion, but it isn't complete. You two rushed into this without thinking. He needs to have the other paternity potion soon, or he'll go back to being Harry. He won't be Darien anymore. It takes both paternity potions to make the changes stay."  
  
Hermione hung her head, she failed him, if anyone would know it would be Severus, Potion's Master. I'm so sorry Harry, Hermione thought, I don't know what to do. She stamped her foot, it wasn't supposed to happen this way, he was hers, Harry had promised. She looked back up at Severus, he was still holding her arms not letting her go to her son, her son that she only wanted to hold right now.  
  
Severus could see the pain clearly showing all over her face. Is this what Harry saw when he looked at her, Severus asked himself. No wonder Harry was willing to do this, he was wanting to make Hermione happy, Harry wouldn't hit her. Severus was determined to find out who did though.  
  
"Do you want to keep him?" Severus asked.  
  
"Yes." It came out barely a whisper.  
  
Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out a potion vile. He placed it in her hand. "It's your choice. He has to have a father to complete this, he'll go back to being Harry if it is not done."  
  
Severus let her go and walked out of the chambers. He couldn't believe he had made that potion and added his own blood to it. Something in Darien had compelled him to do it. If Harry had just come to him he would have made sure that no complications would have come across with the potions. Over the last three weeks he had done a lot of thinking. Harry had all his memories and Hermione would be having problems once Darien started talking, Hermione was going to need help with him. And Severus had already made a vow that he wouldn't let anything happen to him, Darien had already touched a part of him that Harry couldn't touch, at least not a full grown child Harry, it was the innocence in Darien's eyes that made Severus want to do this. He wasn't doing this for Hermione, he wasn't doing this for himself, and he was doing this because Harry would want to stay that way. It hadn't taken him long to realize this fact, he just had to internalize the questions enough to find it out. 


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Hermione stared at the potion bottle in her hand.  
  
"Why does everything have to be so hard?" This was the one question that had always plagued her about Harry Potter. His life had always been to hard, nothing came easy for Harry, even now, and nothing was coming easy for Darien.  
  
She looked back over at her son, he was at least still her son for now. Walking over she knelt down beside him. Darien picked up one of the blocks he had and held it up to her.  
  
"Can you say block?" Hermione asked him.  
  
Darien stacked it on top of another and picked up a different colored one and showed this one to her too.  
  
"What are you going to do with that one?"  
  
She watched as a little mischief came into his brown eyes, her brown eyes. Darien stacked this one on top of the other two then he knocked all three over squilling in delight at what he had done.  
  
"Oh, you made it go boom huh?"  
  
Hermione sat down on the floor beside Darien and played with him for a while. They ended up making a castle out of the blocks and the potion bottle sat in the middle of the castle. Darien moved the blocks so he could get to the potion bottle. The whole time the bottle had captivated him, he would stack the blocks up until it was gone from his sight and he would frown, but when he knocked them down he was ecstatic with himself for finding it again.  
  
"Do you want a Daddy, Darien?"  
  
Darien looked up at her.  
  
"Who am I? Can you say Mommy?"  
  
Darien gave her smile and cocked his head to the side. "Da.da."  
  
Hermione smiled at him. "No.mama."  
  
"Dada," he said firmly.  
  
Hermione picked up the bottle. "You drink this you'll have a Dada."  
  
Darien grabbed for the bottle. "Dada, dada." Chanting over and over again.  
  
"Do you want Severus as your Dada?"  
  
The bottle was still there in her hands, she hadn't let him have the bottle. Harry had said if she was married her husband could adopt him and do the potion then. But they hadn't foreseen what could happen when Harry Potter had vanished. She knew Harry wanted a family, she wanted that too. Neither one of them were real fond of Severus Snape, yet here he was offering to do this. At least the father part. Darien had stood up on his own and was trying to get the bottle out of her hand as she had been thinking to herself.  
  
"Is this what you want?" She smiled at him as he finally had the bottle in his hand. Darien sat down in her lap with the bottle, turning it over and over in his small hands. Hermione watched as the bottle mystified him.  
  
"I don't know little man, I don't think you wanted Severus Snape as your father. I never thought that would happen. Truthfully I wanted you all to myself." She pulled him close and hugged him. "But I am scared. I don't know what to do if Ron comes here. Harry had saved me on that night when things got real bad, I don't know how he knew to come, but he did."  
  
She rocked back and forth with Darien, Darien meanwhile had been working on trying to get the cork out of the top of the bottle he had it in his mouth. Hermione was oblivious to what the little boy was doing while she was talking on and on to him. She talked and worked things out in her head, knowing that if Ron came around again, she would be terrified of him. The last time she saw Ron, Harry had been with her. She had stopped moving, Harry had to escort her out of the room just to get her to move. Hermione went back into that memory, as it flashed before her eyes.  
  
Darien oblivious to what his mother was going through had worked the cork out of the bottle. He was grinning at what he had accomplished, and turned the bottle up and into his mouth. Darien was drinking the potion and was asleep in his mother's arms very shortly after he had finished.  
  
Hermione didn't move again until she heard the thunk on the floor and looked and saw the potion bottle with no cork in it. It was empty. She reached out and picked up the bottle.  
  
"Oh no! This was supposed to be my choice." Hermione looked down at Darien.  
  
He was sleeping peacefully in an induced magical sleep. His face like that of an angel.  
  
"What am I going to do with you? You just complicated our life further."  
  
********  
  
Severus sat in his office going over the next term class schedules, he had to get his mind working on something other than thinking about what the young witch down the hall was doing. Her chambers had been located in the dungeons because of safety issues. The dungeon was better warder than any other part of the castle. Also it made a better place for Darien to crawl and walk about he had no stairs to over come down here. He wasn't about to go falling down a flight of stairs if he had gotten away from his mother. This was the other reason Albus and everyone agreed on having Hermione and Darien in the dungeon.  
  
Lunch had come and gone, Hermione and Darien hadn't appeared. He was getting worried, he wanted to know if she had reached a decision on what he had offered. But he kept telling himself that it was her decision to make, not his. He had made his mind up he brewed the potion.  
  
The rest of the afternoon Severus tried to get through one of the potions he had been working on. He was studying the potion Potter had brewed. Each element had been sorted out, and he had writings on each one that had been added. The potion in itself was brilliant, but was made several centuries back when test subjects were still allowed. The wizarding community had put a stop to all the test subjects. One of the reasons for the de-aging, innocence potion having the effects that it had. The creator of the potion couldn't find a cure to the memory retention for shelf life. The shelf life was amazing in of itself. Most potions didn't have that long of a shelf life, this one only had so because of unicorn blood in it. Though it was illegal to use the blood, it could be extracted in a rare form from the horn of a unicorn. Why some of the animal was allowed and other parts weren't made Severus furious. Because were there was a will there was a way of obtaining anything illegal, through the legal channels.  
  
He had to admit, Potter had done his homework when it came to brewing this potion. Getting the blood out of the horn was no easy feat. Potter was determined to make this potion. He wondered how long it took him to work everything out. The unicorn blood was the hardest item to obtain, yet he found it. No unicorn had been slain on the grounds, so he knew Potter didn't get it that way, they would have been alerted to any slaying of magical creatures. Harry had to have gotten the blood from the horn, this was the most important part, and it held the innocence in it, thus the reason why a person would get their innocence back.  
  
Severus worked but was no closer to the answer for the memories. Looking at the clock on the wall he realized he missed dinner. Missed seeing whether or not Hermione and Darien had eaten. Getting away from the lab Severus walked to her chambers and said the password, chiding himself along the way of not having any patients to find out in the morning. He called out but received no answer. He looked all over, neither Darien nor Hermione were there. Severus headed to the kitchens, thinking this was foolish, if Hermione wanted anything all she had to do was call a house- elf. But then he remembered the house-elf liberation front, Severus snorted at this. Foolish Gryffindor thinking that she would change the way of wizarding kind.  
  
The fruit portrait opened up and Severus stepped into the kitchen. Darien was sitting on the table working on a banana, he had three house-elves around him all talking a mile a minute to him and him not noticing. His full attention was on the sole purpose of eating. Severus noticed his hair was straight now, the red tint still there, but not messy Potter black like it had been. He grinned. She had given him the potion. This wasn't a Potter; he was definitely Snape, with Granger thrown in. It wasn't a bad combination at that, Darien had the Snape brow, the Potter nose was gone, and he was thankful he had Granger's now. Severus always hated his nose. Darien had his chin, but he still had Granger's eyes.  
  
Darien looked up at him. "Dada."  
  
Severus's heart stopped as Hermione whipped around in her chair to face him.  
  
"I.uh.I."  
  
Severus held his hand up. "Not now."  
  
He walked over to Darien and sat down in a chair that was beside him. Darien turned towards him.  
  
"Dada."  
  
"When did he start talking?" Severus asked.  
  
"This morning."  
  
"I missed it." Severus shook his head.  
  
"If it's any consolation, he won't say Mama."  
  
Severus laughed, the first time in years. He couldn't help it.  
  
Hermione heard that laugh and it surprised her. She sat back and studied the man who was so multifaceted. She never had dreamed that she would see the day Professor Snape was actually laughing, but here it was. It enthralled her, yet, at the same time it was so unlike him, but it seemed natural in a way for him to be doing this. And not only was he laughing at what she had said, he was laughing at the fact that Darien hadn't said Mama. Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. When Severus looked over at her, he only laughed harder. 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
Severus could hear shouting in the Great Hall; the ghosts were floating around in an agitated state.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked Nearly Headless Nick and the Bloody Barron.  
  
"Aurors. They want to search the castle." Nick answered.  
  
"Dumbledore is mad. They won't take his word." The Barron reported to him.  
  
Severus continued on and opened the door to the hall. The same three Aurors he saw at the Leaky Caldron stood at the table. Weasley was the one who was shouting at Dumbledore, his face red with anger and frustration. Minerva looked fit to be tied, he couldn't blame her, he was one of the products that came from her house and yet he had the audacity to talk to Albus like he was raving old fool.  
  
"Mind your attitude, Weasley." Severus snarled out as he approached the table.  
  
Ron turned to Severus. "If isn't the Death Eater. I don't go to school here anymore and you can't talk to me in that manner. I'm not some little child who can be frightened away."  
  
Ron Weasley was not a child anymore, and he was as tall as Severus if not a little taller. The brown-headed Auror flanked Ron on his left, and the other one who had black hair stood at Ron's right side. Severus was reminded of his Godson, Draco and his two cronies while he was going to school.  
  
"I was cleared of all Death Eater activity, Weasley." Severus held his glare.  
  
Severus could see Dumbledore's vein pulsing in his neck as he spoke. "As I said before, Ronald Weasley. Harry is not here, there is no need to search the castle when it would just be a waste of time."  
  
Ron turned back to Dumbledore. "And as I told you, we will search this castle."  
  
Severus's upper lip furled in disgust at the young wizards bravado. Such Gryffindor idiocy. "Let him search the castle Albus." Severus looked at Albus and gave him a slight nod.  
  
Albus looked over the rim of his glasses searching Severus's face. Then he dismissively waved Ron and his two cohorts on. "Very well go. Do your search well and don't come back."  
  
Ron started walking past Severus, the gloat of satisfaction on his face and he turned his head towards him. "Greasy haired Git! I can't believe they still have you teaching in this school." He said under his breath so that only Severus and his two chaperones could hear.  
  
Severus bristled at the name, but he knew what the students had called him behind his back, he didn't care about this. What he cared about now, was that Weasley was gone from this castle. "Do your job and leave." Severus wasn't about to jump on Weasley's bait for a fight, not now, but Merlin help Weasley if Severus found out he was the one that had hit Hermione and changed her to what she was today.  
  
Albus waved Severus over and he sat down next to the Headmaster and Minerva.  
  
"What of Darien?" He asked.  
  
Severus smiled, his son, "Darien is a Snape."  
  
Albus frowned a little, "No sign of Harry at all?"  
  
"Not outwardly." Severus looked down at the table. "Harry made a de-aging, innocence potion."  
  
Minerva gasped.  
  
Severus looked over to her, and nodded his head in affirmation. "But, he took the potion to late. All of Harry's memories are still intact inside Darien." He looked back over to Albus. "I still have some things to look over, but Darien will have Harry's emotions as well. Darien is basically Harry, but he won't look like him."  
  
Albus's eyes twinkled. "Well, this proves to be a real interesting development."  
  
********  
  
Hermione pulled Darien out of the tub. "Bath time is over with."  
  
Darien was reaching back for the tub, wanting back inside. Hermione shook her head. She found the first bath time with Darien a rather challenge, it was the same now. He had a mind of his own and didn't want to get out.  
  
"Darien, Mama said no." She wrapped him up in the towel. "We have to get you some new clothes today. I can't believe you out grown everything in one night. It had to have been that magical sleep."  
  
Standing she scooped Darien and towel together and went into the bedroom. She had tried the growing charm on the clothes, it had failed. They had already reached their growth point and wouldn't go any further. Darien was almost two, and his clothes had seemed to have shrunk, he could still wear them but lengthwise was all-wrong. Snape genes! "You'll be as tall as your Dada, you mark my words."  
  
Darien laughed at her and started making faces at her too. Hermione wrestled him into the clothes, she laughed at the sight. The pants came up to his shin, a good two and a half inches from where they should have been, his shirt didn't fit him right either, totally being to small. Hermione took the shirt back off.  
  
"You'll just have to go topless until Mama can get you some clothes." She told him in frustration.  
  
Hearing the door to her chambers open she picked Darien up and walked out of the bedroom with him. Ron was looking around the room and when he saw her with Darien he narrowed his eyes. Hermione froze to the spot. Darien looked over at Ron then back to his Mama, he placed his little hand on her cheek.  
  
"Mama." Darien said.  
  
Fear can do extordinary things, it can stop a person in an instant, Hermione was totally frozen, even a well placed freezing charm couldn't have stopped her as well as the look from Ron's eyes could. His upper lip curled in disgust.  
  
"I knew I'd find you here." He lashed out at her. His stride to her side took no more than a few steps. He glanced at Darien and then back to her. "Well now. No need to ask whose child that is now. Gone slumming have you?"  
  
Hermione couldn't answer. Darien was tugging at the front of her robe, trying everything he could to get his Mama to react to him.  
  
"No answer. How befitting." He circled behind her, "such a shame, such a filthy little mudblood. I can't see how I ever lowered my standards to even sleep with you."  
  
Darien heard his voice, and turned his head towards Ron. Inside his little mind a memory came rushing back, the scene unfolded:  
  
Ron was standing over Hermione. Ron's back was facing away from the door, he didn't noticed the entrance of the other person. Nor did he feel the hate and rage boiling inside the person. Hermione's face was black and blue, blood trickling out of her nose and mouth. The pain at seeing Hermione in this condition only fueled the wrath that was heightening to a full tempest.  
  
Hand's shot out towards Ron's back and roughly pulled him off and away from Hermione. She was in a state of being shattered and broken. Then Ron was back in front again, the fist contacted, and then Ron was knocked to the floor. A long stick came into view and red sparks flew out of it, Ron was rolled over onto his side holding himself.  
  
Hermione was being lifted off the floor, her eyes looking up then closing.  
  
The scene stopped and Darien was seeing Ron, he was still going around his Mama. Darien felt everything that he had when that memory came back, anything that could be picked up was, and it flung in the direction of Ron. He was being hit by books, trinkets, toys, and bits of small furniture. The pelting continued, Darien never taking his eyes off of Ron. The rushing of his blood pounded in his ears, he didn't hear Ron shout, or what he said, Darien could only hear the pounding of his own heart as the blood rushed in and out of its verticals.  
  
The other two Auror who had heard the commotion pulled Ron out of the room and their eyes wide at the little boy in the arms of Hermione. A ghost had floated into the room from the floor above; his translucent form pushed past Hermione and Darien the ghost caused the door to slam shut behind the Auror. He turned and looked at Hermione and floated back over to her.  
  
"Hermione." The Barron moved his hand through her and she breathed in sharply.  
  
Hermione looked through the Bloody Barron to the door and looked at all the things that now littered the floor. Her gaze settled on Darien, his face was blood red; his eyes had gone black with rage. Hermione sat down on the floor and turned Darien to her.  
  
"Darien, look at Mama."  
  
Darien kept looking at the door. She looked up at the Bloody Barron.  
  
"He's a very strong wizard. Frightening what a child can do when he senses fear from someone he loves." With that the Bloody Barron shot through the ceiling of the room only to stick his head back through, "do you wish me to get his Father?"  
  
"I think his Father would have a fit."  
  
"I agree. He would be fit to be tied, no harm done. But if this happens again, next time I won't ask. Even if you are Darien's Mother." He tipped his hat and left.  
  
Hermione looked at the destruction around the room. "I have to get this cleaned up before your Father sees this. He'd kill me, if he knew I froze and didn't do anything." Hermione swept around the room with her wand leaving a clean room in her wake. "I'm stupid, what in the world is wrong with me. Ron used to think I was scary, now it's the other way around. He frightens me." Hermione looked back over at Darien, his color had come back to normal, his eye color also. Hermione shook her head, she had only seen one other person with raw magic like that. That was Harry. Hermione knelt back down in front of Darien. He looked like her and Severus, but was Harry really inside Darien. "I think its time we went to go get some clothes, your Father would kill me if I didn't at least have his son dressed." 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Severus was still standing in the hall before the main door beside Minerva and Albus, the three of them watching the Auror leave. Albus had made the comment about the search being to quick, they didn't have time to search the whole castle. He agreed with this, the other interesting thing was seeing Weasley with marks on his face. He turned to Albus, "What do you think happen to his face?"  
  
"I noticed that too." Minerva said.  
  
"I don't have a clue as to what happen to Auror Weasley's face." Albus turned to see the Bloody Barron look out the door.  
  
"Good riddens you filthy womanizing coward." The Barron yelled at the trio departing.  
  
"Barron, what has gotten into you?" Severus asked him.  
  
The Bloody Barron turned to Severus. "I think you should be asking your son's mother what as gotten into her."  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes. "Tell me." He commanded the ghost.  
  
"You have a mighty powerful son, not yet two years old, but he could defend his mother who was frozen solid with fright." The Barron grinned, "I told her I wouldn't say anything, but like anything could happen to me for not keeping my word. She hasn't quite learned you have to ask me for Slytherin Honor to not say something. I would have been here sooner but I just found you."  
  
Severus bolted down the hall towards Hermione's chambers. He'd kill him, if they weren't safe, he'd kill the Weasel. A protectiveness rose up in Severus, as he rushed down the hall. He said the password to the chambers and rushed in, he looked all over the chambers, Hermione and Darien weren't anywhere in sight.  
  
"Merlin's Beard! I'm going to kill him." Severus took out his wand. "How the hell did he get them out of the castle, and right under my bloody damn nose."  
  
*******  
  
Hermione stepped inside the fireplace and flooed with Darien to Diagon Alley. It was still warm, so being without a shirt wasn't to bad. She had covered him up before getting into the fireplace with a baby blanket so he wouldn't get soot all over him. She had no idea of the trouble she was causing back at the castle, being oblivious to it all. Darien sneezed as soon as they came through the fire at the Leaky Caldron.  
  
Tom turned and looked. "Hermione, how are you doing?"  
  
Hermione smiled at Tom behind the bar, "I'm fine. Just going to do a little shopping."  
  
"When are you going to let me have a look at that little one?" He asked.  
  
Hermione walked over to the bar and took the blanket off around Darien, Tom grinned at the little boy.  
  
"Mighty handsome son you got there."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Hermione left and headed to one of the children shops in Diagon Alley.  
  
*******  
  
"Point me Hermione Granger!" Severus snarled.  
  
His blood was pumping fast and furious, the wand spun and then held with rigidity at the fireplace. Severus stepped up to the fireplace said a spell and heard the faint command of the last place it was ordered to send its last traveler. Stepping inside, Severus grabbed a handful of floo powder and yelled out the Leaky Caldron. His mind was racing; the three of them had left. Did they make Hermione leave when they were in the room? Or did she leave afterward?  
  
Severus stumbled outside the fireplace and braced himself before he was slammed into the wall. It had been a long time he lost concentration from coming out of the floo network that he wasn't up right on his feet. He felt a hand reach down and help him up. He looked at Tom.  
  
"Did Hermione come in here?"  
  
"Yes, not too long ago, had the cutest little boy with her too." Tom was grinning at Severus, "would almost say with certainty that he looked like yours."  
  
"He is mine. Did they look fine?"  
  
"Yes. I didn't notice anything wrong."  
  
"Thank you." Severus walked hurriedly out into Diagon Alley and did the directional spell again.  
  
He looked up from the direction of the wand and caught sight of the back of her head, he saw Darien looking over her shoulder at everything around him. Severus walked furiously towards her. She left the castle; he could clearly tell that she wasn't about to tell him what had happened. And he reasoned within himself he wasn't about to tell her how to get the Barron not to tell him anything. He'd make the Barron swear to him that no matter what she tried he'd tell him anything that went wrong.  
  
Severus reached her as they turned into the little boy's section; he grabbed her arm and spun her around.  
  
"What the bloody hell are you doing here and not back in your chambers? Why didn't you come to me? You let Darien protect you, do have any clue how dangerous it is for a child to use raw magic?"  
  
Hermione's arm was hurting in his grasp, her eyes wide with fear. Darien was squirming in her arms. Severus let go, he didn't know if he was angrier at her for not telling him, or angrier at Weasley for it happening. He took deep breaths to calm himself down, this wouldn't help Hermione and he felt terrible for putting that fear in her eyes.  
  
"Hermione, I'm sorry I grabbed your arm. Give me Darien before he falls." Severus reached out and Darien was in his arms. Hermione was still not responding. Severus reached out and touched her cheek, she flinched at his touch. "Hermione." He said softly stepping closer to her.  
  
She blinked and started gasping for air. Severus conjured a chair behind her and got her to sit down, he knelt down in front of her. Darien was in the middle of them, he reached for his Mama's hand that was on her lap. Severus watched, as Darien was able to draw her out of whatever she had gone. The tears started rolling down her cheeks and Severus wiped them away.  
  
"I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was angry; Darien and you could have been hurt. Tell me who hit you, who broke your spirit for fighting back?" His voice was neutral; he had to make sure he kept his emotions at bay.  
  
"I.Merlin I'm such a coward for just standing there." She was looking back down.  
  
Severus tilted her face up. "You're not a coward, don't think that."  
  
"I didn't do a thing, I just stood there. Darien chased him off, and I just stood there."  
  
"Darien chased who off?"  
  
Hermione looked back down, Severus tilted her face back up.  
  
"Who Hermione?"  
  
"Ron."  
  
"Has Ron hit you?" He knew the answer to this question. Her eyes revealed it. She didn't say anything but she did shake her head yes. Severus looked down, his anger was stirring within him. This was now the mother of his son, and he be damned if he would allow her to be ever hurt again. Darien loved her, he could tell, and it would kill Darien if something happened to her.  
  
Severus looked back up at her, "He won't come near you again. I won't allow it. I'm not going to let him hurt you ever again Hermione."  
  
Hermione stared at Severus. Those words sounded in her head as well as her heart, she had heard the same words uttered from Harry. Harry had kept his promise, kept it until he turned into Darien, even then he still kept his promise. Ron hadn't hurt her. She pulled Darien up in her lap and hugged him tightly. She reached for Severus's hand. "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." Severus looked at Darien, "now are you going to tell me why my son is in Diagon Alley with no shirt on?"  
  
He saw her face go red with embarrassment. They spent the next couple of hours getting new clothes for Darien. 


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
When Severus and Hermione got back to the castle, Darien had a new wardrobe, and a few new toys. He kept pointing to the toys, Hermione told him he didn't need anymore, but Severus gave in. He told her after what he did at the castle, the boy deserved a whole toy store. Darien wasn't lucky enough to come away with a whole toy store but he did manage to get what he wanted.  
  
Darien was now sitting in the middle of Wizarding action figures in the living room floor of the chamber. He had Merlin going after an ogre. Severus was sitting on the couch in Hermione's chambers watching his son play. Hermione sat down beside him and handed him the cup of tea.  
  
"What all did he do?" Severus took a drink of the dark brew.  
  
Hermione stirred her tea. "I don't remember that much."  
  
Severus looked over at her. "What do you remember?"  
  
"Darien tore this room up. Everything that could be picked up and thrown was, including some of the smaller pieces of furniture."  
  
Severus looked at Darien, he now had one of the dragons attacking the ogre, and Merlin going after both of them. He glanced around the room, there was an awful lot of stuff for him to have picked up with his magic, and the furniture was a shock. It was his age that worried him more though, he wondered how much of Harry's magic that Darien had retained, and the possible combination of Hermione's and his. If the potion had been performed correctly, Darien shouldn't have had any of Harry's magic, now he wasn't so sure.  
  
"Do you remember him doing this or after?" Severus was watching her stir the tea, she had yet to take a drink of it.  
  
"After."  
  
Severus kept looking at her, as much as he wanted to understand what Darien had done, he wouldn't be able to get far if Hermione only saw the destruction of it afterwards. "What were you seeing while this was going on?"  
  
He could always use Occlumency on Darien, it would be worthwhile to actually find out how much of Harry Darien obtained, even that had frightened Severus. He could do the same to Hermione if she really couldn't remember, but it wouldn't help her, he didn't want to throw her back to that state.  
  
"Every time Ron says a word or comes in the room with me it throws me into memories."  
  
Severus stood up and pulled his wand out. "Do you trust me?"  
  
"What do you want to do?" Hermione asked while her voice trembled.  
  
Severus knelt down in front of her, "I want to run a scan, see if Weasley has put any spells on you."  
  
"But Ron wouldn't." Severus raised his eyebrow at her. "He wouldn't.would he?"  
  
Severus had seen her go from determinedly not to unsure very quickly. "It would be more in our benefit if we checked on this matter."  
  
Hermione was so unsure about this, Ron hadn't been the most cleaver wizard in the bunch at school. She couldn't ever remember a time that Ron had pulled his wand on her. But you won't remember if the obliviate spell was performed, the little voice said in her head. She shuttered at the thought of not having her all her memories, mind rape. She hated that spell, it raped the mind of your memories, and if it had been performed against her will, and she closed her eyes. Did she want to know? Could she handle knowing this?  
  
Severus watched the emotions play across her face. The Hermione he knew would have been damned furious, not this unsure creature that was before him. She was vulnerable in this state and he hated this. Hermione was a very strong, smart witch. Stronger than Weasley, he was shocked needless to say when Hermione settled for the red headed dunderhead.  
  
"Okay, do it." She told him and looked into his eyes.  
  
He could see the fear there, that was something he hated seeing in her eyes, the witch he had known was fearless, rushing headlong with Potter, not worrying about the danger. He stood and started the spell before Hermione could change her mind. The silver scan started at her head, it changed read red over her head, then blue, then green then back to silver. Red was indications of the obliviate spell he ground his teeth together, someone didn't want her to remember something, he would fix that, blue was indications of suppressed emotions, she could have done this one herself. He would have to be careful of releasing this one, he didn't want her to fall apart on him. Green indicated jealousy spells, more likely a lover put this one on her.  
  
The scan continued on green over hear heart, oh yes, Severus thought, definitely a lover, and a very jealous one at that. She had one other place the spell was enacted, her female regions glowed vibrantly with green and black. When Severus saw the black he cursed under his breath. Damn her lover for putting her under this.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
The scan stopped and Severus looked away from her.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
He could hear the fear in her voice.  
  
"Hermione, have you tried seeing anyone else other than Ron?"  
  
"Yes, but it never worked out. They would always accuse me of seeing someone else, and." Her voice trailed off.  
  
Severus turned to her. "And, what? Continue it."  
  
"And anytime I even kissed someone or looked at another guy it felt like I was betraying Ron, like I didn't love him enough."  
  
"Do you remember when this started? When that feeling started?"  
  
"Not to long after me and Ron got together, I was talking to Harry about it. Harry had an odd look on his face, I asked him what was wrong with me, and he said nothing was wrong with me. Then he was angry and left to go talk to Ron. After that night, Harry barely said a few words to me. What's going on, Severus?"  
  
Severus watched her hands twist in her lap, he reached over and placed a hand over her and looked up into her eyes. "You have had some spells cast you." He watched for her reaction, fear, shock, outrage, curiosity, he continued. "One of them I'm pretty sure you cast on yourself. An emotion- suppressing spell."  
  
Hermione put her head back on the couch and groaned, "I can't believe I didn't take that off."  
  
"When did you do this? Why did you do this?"  
  
He watched blush creep up her neck and into her cheek, when she looked back down her face was beet red.  
  
Hermione, you idiot, she scolded herself in her head. You cast that spell on yourself during your fifth year because you didn't want anyone noticing that you had a crush on your potions professor. OWLs were looming and you didn't want the distraction, not that the year itself was easy with Umbridge there too. Fifth year hadn't been easy, she had totally forgot to remove the spell, but she still had feelings creep up even in sixth year also and restored the spell even stronger. What was she going to tell Severus, he was waiting to hear the answer, and his eyebrows where now raised. She could tell him part of the truth, not all of it, but at least part of it. She felt like she was betraying Ron even with these thoughts.  
  
"I performed the spell in my fifth year, then again in my sixth year. I didn't want to be distracted from the exams, too much was going on at the time." She said this while looking in her lap.  
  
Severus caught that flash of guilt in her eyes before she looked down. Who did she like before Weasley? She liked someone, or the guilt wouldn't have shown if she hadn't, damn Weasley and his jealousy spell, he had stifled this woman's heart and her feelings even more because she had cast that spell on herself. His spell only reinforced it.  
  
"You can remove that spell, I'll leave that one alone. You also had an obliviate spell performed on you."  
  
He saw her head shoot up and the anger was rising. He didn't want to tell her about this one, but it was the next less evil spell that had been performed. He didn't know if he could make himself tell her the last two, those last two spells had to be performed while intercourse was taking place, and the only way to remove them was with the same action. She had to trust her partner fully before those last two spells could be taken away.  
  
"I've been obliviated? Obliviated. Merlin's beard! That is mind rape."  
  
Severus sat back on his haunches. This was closer to the Hermione he remembered, that angry flare was drawing her out of that cocoon shell she was hiding under.  
  
"I can remove that spell? Do you want me too?" Severus wasn't sure who even cast that spell on her, or when.  
  
"Yes I want you to remove it." She was indignant that someone could have taken her memories from her, not of her own free will, she would never ask for an obliviate no matter how hard something was to deal with.  
  
Severus raised his wand and put it on the side of her temple and said the spell. He wasn't expecting the reaction he got, but Hermione was laughing.  
  
Hermione's memories came back, she was laughing so hard, because what Headmaster Dumbleodore obliviated from her and Ron's memories was ludicrous, Harry had ended up telling her and Ron everything anyways. It was rather funny, but she really couldn't blame the man. He was trying to protect his spy. She thought it was funny, because the Headmaster had obliviated her on more than one occasion and each one had been about Severus, the irony of the situation made her laugh also, because Severus himself was the one giving her these memories back.  
  
A/N: I know Darien-Harry seems confusing at this point, the more Severus finds out about him the more you'll understand. Bare with me, I do have a plot going here. 


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
Severus stood and crossed his arms. "Are you going to share with me anytime soon or keep laughing, you silly girl."  
  
Hermione looked up and saw the scowl on his face and tried to stop laughing but she couldn't. She took some deep breaths and excused herself from the room. Once inside the bathroom she washed her face and looking in the mirror she studied herself. Aside from her face being flushed from the laughter, her freckles stood out more. She never liked those freckles; it reminded her of Ron and his numerous freckles that splashed all over his body.  
  
Taking out her wand she pointed to her head and said the spell to take off the repressed emotions. She had put this spell on her head at the time, because she had the crush, and to her it was only in her head. When the spell broke a wave of emotions rushed through her, it was overpowering with the amount of force they caused to her whole body. Hermione slumped to the floor and leaned back on the cabinet in the bathroom. The emotions she had repressed were more than just the crush on her potions professor.  
  
Each emotion came flooding back one at a time, happiness for passing all her exams for every year including the ones she had taken at the university. The emotion were so over powering she was crying from it. Everything she had been experiencing had been stifled since her fifth year, now six years worth of emotions that had been built up came pouring over her in an instant.  
  
She pushed everything with Ron to the side, not wanting yet to deal with any emotions that had been coming back with him. Her emotions with Harry and with Darien she allowed to swallow her, happiness, grief, pain, longing. By the time those came to the full-heightened awareness that they should have been, Hermione was a wreck on the bathroom floor. She wasn't even aware of the person pulling her into their arms nor gripping them like her life depended on it.  
  
"You silly girl," Severus said into hair. "You should have waited to take that off. Six years of emotions."  
  
Severus held her and rocked her back and forth. He watched as Darien came walking into the bathroom, he had Merlin in his right hand and his bottom lip started pouting out. Darien was watching his Mama cry and it was affecting him. Severus reached out for Darien and he came to him.  
  
"Shh! It's okay, Darien. Mama is going to be fine. I promise." Severus said softly to him. Darien sat beside him and kept patting his Mama on the arm.  
  
Severus vowed that he would do everything in his power to make Hermione fine for Darien. What she was going through right now was a good start, though for the next couple of weeks, Hermione might be a time bomb with her emotions, having repressed them for so long was not good. He had to do this on several occasions himself while he was spying. He knew what it felt like to be assaulted by emotions when they came flooding back. It wasn't fun dealing with them, but they had to be dealt with.  
  
Severus called for Tilly, she was his house-elf here at Hogwarts, they had three that serviced the dungeon, but Tilly was the one that was better suited for this purpose that he wanted to have done.  
  
"Yes, Professor Snape, you called Tilly."  
  
The squeak of the house-elf got Darien's attention right away and the little boy turned to her.  
  
"Change Darien's diaper, and give him a bottle. It's close to his nap time."  
  
Tilly smiled wildly at the opportunity to take care of Darien she reached for his hand and Darien went willingly with the house-elf. Severus looked down at Hermione, she was still crying, but the shakes and the trembling that she was first experiencing had started to subside. Severus pulled her closer and rested his cheek in her hair.  
  
"It's going to get better Hermione," he stroked her back as he spoke.  
  
When Hermione finally came back to herself she was in bed, and very warm. She felt like she had a heater pressed to her back, she hadn't felt anything like that since sleeping with Ron. She felt her hair being pulled behind her ear, and caressed softly down her back and the motion was repeated. When she turned her head she felt the caresses on her cheek and saw who was doing the caressing, it was Severus. She felt an enormous amount of guilt wash over her and she shut her eyes and moved away from his touch.  
  
Severus ground his teeth together when he saw the guilt wash over her. Damn you Weasley! She's not even yours and you're still playing games with her. She can't even be touched by someone else without thinking of you. You've cursed her life.  
  
"Feeling better?" Severus tried to keep the hurt out of his voice, he didn't want Hermione knowing that pulling away from him had hurt him. Not that he cared about her in a way that was more than friendship, he reminded himself, but he did care about her on the level that she was Darien's mother. And Darien would sense the emotions in her. He had noticed Darien was very sensitive in this area, he wondered if all children had this ability.  
  
"Some." She said softly.  
  
"You'll need to take it easy for the next week or so. Things might feel overwhelming to you. If you need any help come get me."  
  
Hermione turned to look at him, she wasn't sure why he was offering her this. The look she saw in his eye was one of understanding. "How do you know?"  
  
Severus leaned on his hand, which propped him up. "Repressing spells can be very good, if used for short stints at a time. The longer one is enacted the stronger the emotions are when they came back. I used repressing spells the whole time while I was a Death Eater, it made life easier."  
  
Hermione rolled over facing him but kept her distance, as long as she talked to him on an intellectual level she didn't feel any over whelming emotions of guilt. She wasn't sure where this came from. She had been broken up with Ron for almost a year and a half now, she shouldn't be feeling guilty.  
  
"What did you repress?" She was curious, she had always been curious about things, one of the reason why she read every book she could get her hands on. To quench that thirst for her curiosity.  
  
"If I answer that, you have to answer mine. Do we have a deal?" Severus knew he had to get her to talk, this was one of the things that would help. Dumbledore had helped him through the last month of school when his emotions came flooding back.  
  
Hermione rolled over onto her back not looking at him. The only person she had ever felt like she could talk to had been Ron and Harry. More so Harry than Ron, Harry would listen and wouldn't judge her for anything she talked about. Ron on the other hand would judge almost everything she said.  
  
While Hermione was thinking, Severus rolled over and checked the baby bed, Darien was still asleep. He turned back to Hermione.  
  
"I don't know." She told him.  
  
"It gets easier if you talk about it. Trust me."  
  
He could see her thinking, she sat up quickly. "Where's Darien?"  
  
"Asleep. Don't change the subject."  
  
She gave him a snarl, Severus rolled over on his back and closed his eyes, and he wanted to laugh at her, that snarl was cute. Cute? Where did that come from? Severus asked himself.  
  
Hermione lay back down and crossed her hands behind her head staring up at the ceiling. The new term would start in a few weeks, she didn't want to be on an emotional roller coaster when all the kids would be hear, but at the same time, talking to Severus wasn't like talking to Harry. She could tell Harry anything, she wasn't sure how much she could actually tell Severus. She had that feeling of guilt again. She was tired of that.  
  
"Why am I feeling so guilty? Do you know?"  
  
Severus opened his eyes. This wasn't a question he was expecting, he didn't want to go down that path just yet. He knew full well why she was feeling guilty, that was part of the jealousy spell that Weasley had cast on her. He wasn't going to lie to her though.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why am I feeling this way? Does it have to do with the repressing spell?"  
  
"No Hermione, it has nothing to do with that spell. The guilt you are feeling has to do with the jealousy spell." He turned his head so he could gage her reaction.  
  
He saw her grit her teeth and close her eyes tightly. "How many other spells were cast on me?"  
  
"Only one more."  
  
She turned and looked at him, "What is it?"  
  
This was the one he didn't want to tell her about. This was the one that made him angry the most, Weasley had conjured Dark Magic when he used this one. He was so possessive of her, that he didn't want her leaving, this spell was performed when a Husband had the right to perform it on an adulterous wife. She was barren because Weasley made her barren, he was so possessive that he didn't want to share her with anyone and that included children whether or not he realized what he was doing, Severus doubted he did, the spell was to make the woman want her husband and no other man, but its proper use was only came inside a magical marriage contract. Using it outside one left complications, drastic in measure, being barren was the most drastic form this spell took, because Severus knew Hermione had wanted children, and the spell took that desire and reversed the process of it, but it had backfired on Weasley because he did it outside the bonds of marriage and hurt Hermione in worst possible way.  
  
"The adulterous spell."  
  
Hermione's brow furrowed, "What spell is that?"  
  
Severus sat up, rubbed his face, then slowly explained everything the spell did and did not do. Hermione looked horrified after he got through explaining everything.  
  
"So he did this to me? He blamed me for not being able to get pregnant when it was his own damn fault." Hermione got off the bed and walked out of the room. Severus got up off the bed and followed her, she was standing in the middle of the living room, holding one of Darien's stuffed toys.  
  
"Hermione."  
  
She didn't respond as he came up behind her. He wanted to comfort her, but wasn't sure if she would even allow it. This open wound would take a long time to heal, she had wanted a child so bad, Harry gave himself to her, to fulfill that longing, desire she had.  
  
"Hermione, talk to me."  
  
"Can the spells be reversed?"  
  
Severus walked around to be in front of her, she had her head down, he tilted her face up so he could see her. "One of them can be reversed with no problems, the adulterous spell might have complications with it. I'll have to do some research on it. You do know how he performed these?"  
  
Hermione shook her head no.  
  
"He did them when he was having sex with you Hermione. It takes the same process to take them away."  
  
Hermione closed her eyes. "But everything feels so wrong with anyone else. It hurts, I feel like I'm doing something that tears me apart when I'm even thinking of someone else other than Ron."  
  
"That is what the spells are designed to do. I won't lie to you, you'll have to trust the person totally if you want those broken off of you. It won't be an easy decision either."  
  
Severus didn't want to tell her about what the man would go through just to remove those spells. When it came time to take those away, Hermione would feel as if the man who took them away had raped her. Every emotion that came with that vile act she would experience. It would take a very strong man to know that he helping her and not forcing her to have sex, and whoever did it, God help the man if he was in love with her, because she would probably hate him forever. 


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
The rest of the afternoon Hermione spent in the library, Darien stayed with Severus. Severus and Hermione had been splitting up the time that both of them have been watching him and allowing each other to have some personal time as well. She wanted to know the full extent of what exactly was going on with her. Hermione started pulling books down looking for the spells that had been cast on her.  
  
Hermione sat at the table piled high with several books. She started reading through them when another person walked through the door of the library. His brown hair was pulled back, his silver robes cascaded off his figure like they were meant to be that way. The shirt he wore was dark gray and looked as if it was made of silk, the same look of his slacks that he wore, that was held up by a silver belt.  
  
"Good afternoon, Professor Longfellow." Madam Pince said who blushed.  
  
Hermione had never seen the librarian blush, this was unexpected to say the least.  
  
"Madam Pince, how many times have I told you? Call me Dante." He flashed her a bright small.  
  
Hermione was reminded of Professor Lockehart from her second year with that smile, but somehow Professor Longfellow's was natural, it didn't seem to be charmed to drive women mad with loving emotions. Guilt immediately arose in Hermione, for admiring the man and she looked down quickly at the text she was reading.  
  
"Is there anything you're looking for?" Madam Pince asked him.  
  
"Nothing I can't find on my own, thank you for your offer."  
  
Hermione felt eyes on her and looked up. Dante was standing in front of the table. "I do believe we haven't been introduced. Dante Longfellow, Professor for Defense Againt the Dark Arts." He extended his hand for Hermione to take it.  
  
Hermione reached out to shake the man's hand and was stabbed with pain for even touching him, she looked back down quickly. "Hermione Granger." She said quietly.  
  
"Excuse me, I don't believe I caught your name."  
  
Hermione looked back up and said her name a little louder.  
  
"Well, well, I must say I am honored to meet one of the 'Gryffindor Trio' I've heard so much about. You won't be trying to put me out of my job now would you? I've heard how you three went through defense professors like it was water, while you went to school here." His voice was low and teasing.  
  
"No.uh, that was Harry's job, not mine." Hermione commented. "I'm here to teach Charms."  
  
"Good, I can relax some now that my job is safe. It was pleasure meeting you Professor Granger."  
  
"Hermione, please call me Hermione."  
  
He gave a slight bow, "Very well, I'm Dante." With that he turned and walked over to the restricted section of the library and vanished behind the row of books.  
  
Hermione looked back down at the book, "Well, that was interesting." She said to the book.  
  
An hour later and Hermione had still had yet to find anything on the Adulterous Spell, she made her way into the restricted section and started mumbling to herself going down the rows of books fingering off each one. "Nope.no, no, no, no, maybe..not likely, no, no, no, no, good Lord definitely not."  
  
"Aren't you in the wrong section for charms?" Dante picked up the one book Hermione had sat out and read the cover and looked at her. "Are you sure you're not interested in my job."  
  
"Positive." Hermione said as she took the book back and continued down the isle this time not saying anything as she fingered each book.  
  
"What exactly are you looking for Hermione? Maybe I could help."  
  
Hermione shook her head no and kept going, when she got to the end of the isle she crossed to the other side and made her way down that one. Dante was at the end of that isle leaning against the shelf with a book in his hand.  
  
"I've never met someone whose emotions are so easy to read. It's almost as if they are so strong, like you just got them back recently."  
  
Hermione stopped in her tracks half way down the isle and looked at him. Was it that obvious that a total stranger could read her that way? Guilt was drawn back to her as she had been looking into his blue eyes and had found them almost mesmerizing, she looked back away.  
  
"I'll leave you to your search, you might want to try two rows to the left, half way down. It's a brown leather book, the title is 'Ancient Magic of Aphrodite'." Dante placed the book he had back on the shelf and walked out.  
  
Hermione watched his retreating back. Rooted to the place in which she was standing. She shook her head and moved on going like she was before. She didn't have to have anyone tell her how to do a search. She was Hermione Granger, read every book in the Hogwarts library before the end of her sixth year. Well almost everyone, the restricted section, had been denied to her. Not all the time, but Madam Pince had been the one to gather the books for her, she wasn't allowed to come back here. So she wasn't aware of how many she had actually read in the restricted section.  
  
Thirty minutes later, Hermione stood in front of the book Dante had said would be there. Curious, she pulled it from the shelf and opened it up. The book was filled with nothing but spell, charms, incantations, jinxes and hexes on love and the relationships of magical creatures, human and or otherwise. Hermione rolled her eyes and took the book anyway, this was exactly what she had been looking for. She placed the book down on the table she had left and started going through it. She found the jealousy spell right off and started reading, everything she was experiencing was from this spell.  
  
*******  
  
Severus was in his office, Darien was on the floor playing with the ball that had shapes that could fit in it. He was working on revising some of the potions he would be teaching the Gryffindor and Slytherin second years when his office door was knocked on.  
  
"Come in." Severus said not looking up.  
  
"Severus, just wanted you to know if you were up for a game of chess?"  
  
Severus looked up at Dante. He was back early, he wasn't due to arrive for another five days. "What are you doing back early?"  
  
Dante moved closer to the desk and stopped, he noticed Darien and raised his eyebrows. "My, my, you have been busy since I've been gone. I got tired of the forest I was in, and decided to come back." Darien looked up at the new person in the room, he cocked his head to the side trying to figure the new adult out. Dante looked at Severus who was watching his son. "Tell me you weren't the one who put that sex spell on Hermione."  
  
Severus looked at Dante. "You're already on first name basis with her, and no I wasn't." The last part was said with venom.  
  
Darien threw one of his shapes at Dante. Dante looked back down at the little boy. "Easy young man. I'm not the enemy here."  
  
"No, if you were the enemy he'd be throwing more than just one of his blocked shapes at you." Severus went around the desk and picked up the shape and took it back to he put it on the floor and then reached out and picked up Darien. "This is Darien, Dante." He turned back to the man.  
  
"Darien." Dante bowed to the little boy. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Remind me not to make you mad, if you throw blocks because you feel your father's anger."  
  
Darien looked from Dante to his father who was now grinning. "I think he has a protective streak in him."  
  
"Good quality to have. So I guess the chess game is off then."  
  
"We can still play, though I don't know what Darien is going to do when he sees the pieces move yet."  
  
Dante grinned, "Oh, by all means, we have to show him chess."  
  
Severus, Darien and Dante ended up in Severus's chambers. Dante on one side of the chessboard and Severus on the other. Darien was standing by his father holding onto the robes watching them set up the pieces. Once the pieces started moving Darien was entranced with them. Darien was fine until Severus brought his knight to one place on the board and Dante's queen took it. Darien started screaming and slapping at the pieces. Both Severus and Dante looked at Darien in shock.  
  
"What is going on with him, Severus?"  
  
Severus picked Darien up and tried to calm down, "I don't know."  
  
"That isn't normal behavior Severus. Have you checked your son over? Maybe who ever put that curse on Hermione did something to your son."  
  
Severus kept looking back to the chessboard and Darien, Darien kept reaching for the board. Then it occurred to him, Harry's first year, they played a chess game and Ron sacrificed himself so they could get across the room. "Darien, it's not real." He wasn't sure how to tell him what he was remembering to what he was seeing now was different. "Put the chessboard away, Dante."  
  
Dante cleared away the board, it was several minutes later and Darien stopped screaming. Severus sat down in one of the chairs and turned Darien to him. His eyes were almost black, instead of the brown they had been. Dante was now standing behind him looking at Darien too.  
  
"I thought he had brown eyes."  
  
"He does."  
  
"Severus, his eyes are black right now."  
  
"I can see perfectly fine Dante."  
  
The door to Severus's chambers was opened and Hermione came in and stopped when she saw Dante, her eyes were swollen from crying. She had read everything in the book that Ron had done to her. Severus looked over at her, he saw the brown book in her hand. "Hermione."  
  
"I hate him, I want to kill him."  
  
Severus stood up and walked over to her, "That would get a sentence in Azkaban, you can't do that."  
  
"I don't care, I want to kill him."  
  
Severus covered his face with his free hand that wasn't holding Darien, he had a very, blood thirsty Gryffindor on his hands at the moment. And he still wasn't sure what was going on with Darien. "Hermione, think about it. If you go to Azkaban how is that going to make Darien feel." Uncovering his face he looked at her.  
  
Hermione was looking at Darien then back to him. "Okay you're right, but I still want to kill him. And why are his eyes black again?"  
  
"Again?" Severus asked, "When did they go black before?"  
  
"This morning," Hermione looked away from him.  
  
"When he had the raw magical surge."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Dante stayed back but took in everything that was going on. He looked at the little boy, more intrigued with him. He was awfully young to be having magical surges, clearly something wasn't right with this little boy. "I'll just be leaving." Dante said.  
  
Severus looked back at Dante, "We'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Goodnight, Severus. Hermione." Dante looked at Darien when he got up to them. "Night Darien." Darien looked at him, Dante noticed the color in his eyes were going back to brown. It was rare for a wizard's eyes to change color with magic but it was known to happen, those wizard's were rare and very powerful, they were Mage. "When Darien gets older Severus, I would have him tested. Mages are rare, but it wouldn't hurt to test him."  
  
Severus looked at Darien. He remembered a conversation that he had with Dumbledore about Harry, Dumbledore said that Harry was as close to a Mage as most wizards come. They had found out before the last battle Harry's eyes had powerful properties in them, he was close enough to almost be able to perform wandless magic, he could do little things, but not enough that would qualify him as a true Mage.  
  
"We will," Severus told Dante as he walked out. 


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
Hermione looked at Severus after Dante left. "Mages are rare. Harry wasn't a Mage."  
  
Severus motioned her to the couch; they both sat down, Severus crossed his legs and lay Darien down on his lap and gave him the bottle that he conjured. He started rocking him back and forth slowly, while looking at his son's eyes, they were back to the soft brown that was so like his mother's.  
  
"You're are right, Harry wasn't a Mage." Severus turned to her. "But he could do things with his eyes, he had some lower Mage tendencies, but not enough to be a true Mage."  
  
Darien put his foot on Severus's chest, and Severus covered it with his hand.  
  
"You think Darien is a Mage?"  
  
"There's a good possibility, Dante wouldn't have said to get him tested, if he didn't think Darien wouldn't be one."  
  
Hermione reached over and pushed Darien's hair off his face and smoothed it back. "How can he be? He wouldn't have any of Harry's magic would he?"  
  
"He has his memories, and his emotions. I bet he was left intact with Harry's magic too, then combine a blend of yours and mine with the paternity potions, I say that would make a very powerful wizard. It wouldn't take much to push Darien into Mage status with as close as Harry was to being one."  
  
Severus watched as Darien's eyes started closing, he was struggling to stay awake, but he was on the loosing side of that battle. The more Severus stroked his foot, the longer Darien's eyes would remain closed.  
  
"What if he is a Mage?" Hermione softly asked, not wanted to arouse Darien while he was almost asleep.  
  
Severus closed his eyes, he didn't want to think about that. If the Ministry of Magic found out, Darien would have to be registered. Not every Mage was registered, Severus knew this for a fact, he was only aware of two Mages right now. One of those being in Hogwarts, and he knew Dante wasn't registered.  
  
"It would complicate his life as well as ours."  
  
"Complicate it how?"  
  
Severus turned to look at her. "If Weasley has a remote guess of Darien's abilities from what he did this morning. The Ministry could require Darien to be tested. If he's proved to be a Mage, he'd have to register, just like any other wizard who is different. And they could possible take him away from us, it has been known to happen."  
  
Hermione shook her head no, this wasn't happening. All she wanted was a child, now that she had one, the fear of him being taken away didn't sit to well with her. She felt like she was in the middle of the ocean with all the emotions colliding within her body, not even having the chance to breath. Severus reached up in front of her with his left arm and touched her left cheek, drawing her to his shoulder. Once her head was on him he reached down in her lap taking one of her hands in his and moved his thumb across the back of her hand in slow soothing circles.  
  
"I won't let them take him from us. They've been known to take child Mages away from their parents, when they can't control the child. With Darien being at Hogwarts, he has more than just you and me watching him. Besides, Dante would help us."  
  
"Do you trust him?"  
  
"Yes. Dante's a Mage, Hermione. Don't ask me how Dumbledore found him, I don't know, but Dante's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this school has ever had. He's become a very good friend, I would trust Dante with my life, and I don't trust people easily."  
  
Hermione stayed quiet after that, she found her mind working overtime now. She knew she would be making another trip to the library the next chance she got again. Darien would need her, and she was bound and determined to help him, no matter what. That led her back to how she reacted around Ron, she couldn't allow that to happen again, she couldn't freeze up, knowing if anyone found out about Darien he could be taken away.  
  
From what she read in the book Dante had pointed out, it would take another man to take away the jealousy spell. She read all of what could happen to her and what she would be feeling when the spell was taken off. When Severus had said it would be a hard decision to make he hadn't been joking. Her only problem was she didn't trust that many men, her options were slim. And in her mind there was no way she would ever ask Dumbledore to do this, that revolted her beyond measure and she loved the man like a grandfather. It would be to embarrassing enough for her to ask Dante, and she put him out of the picture right away, she didn't know him enough to trust him. Severus she trusted, but she was scared to ask him, she didn't want to end up hating him. The reversal spell could have complications with it; it being one that she would hate the man, would want to kill him any time she saw him, or become indifferent to him. Two out of the three effects of the spell didn't appeal to her at all.  
  
Hermione had gotten quiet, Severus bent his head forward and looked to where he could see if she had fallen asleep, she was wide awake. "Knut for you thoughts."  
  
Looking into his dark black eyes set her mind to thinking again, before she had found those eyes to be hard and cold, but seeing him with Darien the last several weeks, had shown her softness inside them, even if they were black. "I'm just trying to figure out who I trust enough to break the jealousy spell off of me."  
  
"Come to any conclusions?" Severus asked.  
  
"I don't like the odds."  
  
Severus leaned back, "I told you it would be a hard decision."  
  
"I don't like the odds of the results that could happen when the spell is removed."  
  
Severus closed his eyes, the next question he was going to ask scared him. He wasn't sure if he wanted that answer from her. "Have you found someone who you trust enough to do this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Severus stayed still even as Hermione moved off his shoulder, the warmth leaving him. He was comfortable around her, her and Darien had eased into his life, and the last several weeks he actually felt human again. He felt her hand on his cheek for the briefest moment before it was pulled back. Opening his eyes, he saw the guilt in hers for just that small touch she gave.  
  
"You picked me didn't you?"  
  
"You're the only one I trust enough to do this. I told you, I don't like the odds of the outcome, and I don't want to hate you or kill you for that matter. It would make a big problem between you and me and that wouldn't help Darien any."  
  
"Then pick someone else." He would do it, he would hate doing it, but he would if she asked him.  
  
"There is no one else I trust." She looked down at her hands, they were fidgeting in her lap.  
  
"I'll do it," Severus said with a sigh. "But not tonight, you've been through to much today already." Severus picked Darien off his lap and placed him on his shoulders and stood. "Let's put our son in bed. We can discuss things tomorrow."  
  
Severus lay Darien in his bed and left him in his mother's chambers. He prowled the halls going over what could happen in his head. He would do it, but he had started feeling different about Hermione, he wasn't quite sure what all that entailed yet, but he was sure that he wouldn't like it if Hermione ended up hating him. His desire to protect her and Darien had been over whelming to him at first, but now, it felt only natural.  
  
The desire he had to make Weasley pay, kept boiling up, he had been thinking along these lines throughout part of the day. He just hadn't come up with anything that would let him stay out of Azkaban yet. Severus found himself in the kitchens, he wasn't all that hungry, but he decided to go ahead and have a snack, that way he could keep up his thinking.  
  
He was half done with his sandwich when Dante entered the room. "Not often I catch you in the kitchens. Shame on you out of bed after hours."  
  
"Could say the same for you." Severus mocked him right back.  
  
"Ten points from Slytherin." Dante grinned as he sat down. One of the house-elfs bustled around him trying to get him whatever he desired.  
  
"Doesn't count, the year hasn't started yet. And as soon as I can get the hat out of Albus's office I'm having you sorted." Severus gave him a snarl.  
  
Dante took the sandwich he had asked for and the pumpkin juice and started eating. "Tell how you came about to have a child this year, when last year you told me you had no kids."  
  
Severus swallowed the last of his sandwich visibly and Dante raised an eyebrow at him. This was one thing Severus didn't like about the man, he could read anyone like they were an open book to him. He was very good at reading emotions. Severus narrowed his eyes at him, which only caused Dante to smirk right back. "Darien needed a father, I got the job."  
  
"I would have thought that his father would have wanted to keep that job, seems to me the father wanted to keep her awfully mad to place the jealousy spell on her."  
  
"Weasley, is not Darien's real father, Darien's real father is dead. He place more than the jealousy spell on her." Severus looked down and pushed his chips around on his plate.  
  
Dante took a drink of his pumpkin juice studying Severus. "He placed the emotion suppression spell on her?"  
  
"No, she did that one herself, six years ago. He placed the adulterous spell on her."  
  
"Good Lord, that's not good. Now, hers is unbelievable what is she trying to do, give herself an aneurysm?"  
  
Severus snorted and looked back up. "She forgot about placing it on herself. She took it off today."  
  
"No wonder I could practically taste her emotions off of her when I met her in the library." Dante shook his head and continued eating.  
  
Severus sat remaining silent, Dante continued eating watching his friend. He could see different emotions in the man, some clear, some coming through like murky water. Severus had a knack for hiding his emotions, but Dante could see through some of his walls he had up. He was worried, and warring with himself, trying to decide something that meant an awful lot to him.  
  
Placing his sandwich on his plate, Dante reached across and snatched one of Severus's chips to get his attention. "What are you worried about?" Dante ate the chip.  
  
"She wants." Severus looked down the table, "she wants me to take the jealousy spell off."  
  
Dante pushed his plate away. "And you're worried she's going to hate you."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You two have Darien between you, I would think you would be the natural choice for doing this. She might not hate you after through."  
  
Severus glared at him, "My luck with Miss Granger, she's probably going to want to kill me."  
  
"She doesn't hate you. Now for Weasley, I would say she was on a murderous warpath before I left."  
  
"He needs to die a slow and painful death." Severus snarled out.  
  
"I agree, but that still leaves someone going to Azkaban, there are ways of getting revenge that doesn't include death." Dante sat back, "you worry about Weasley later, get through everything with Hermione first."  
  
"What if it doesn't work out? I don't want my son's mother revolted at the sight of me."  
  
Dante smiled, "You like her."  
  
Severus looked down, of course he would see this, Severus just wasn't sure how deep it ran.  
  
"Do what she asks, stop worrying about things. If she ends up hating you, you'll just have to change her mind."  
  
"How? I'm not some suave smooth talking man. I don't have women fawning all over me, unlike you who could get anyone you wanted."  
  
Dante shook his head. "I can't get anyone I wanted." Severus glared at him. "Well I could, but they are never who I want. I don't like anyone who fawns all over me, who runs after me, those are hard to find. Believe me I've tried. Be thankful she doesn't fawn all over you, you would grow tired of her rather quickly."  
  
"You still haven't said how." Severus stated as he saw Dante rise from the table.  
  
"Woo her. If she ends up hating you, romance her; be her white knight, or black knight, it doesn't matter which. Just don't give up before anything happens." Dante walked away from him leaving him in his thoughts. 


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
Over the rest of the week, Severus tried to avoid Hermione on the topic of the reversal spell. He was kicking himself now, he didn't want to do it. The sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach wouldn't go away, so now he was in the library looking for anything that would help solve this problem other than what he knew he had to do. Also he was trying to buy some time, Hermione had been hell on wheels the last part of this week. She was jumping on everyone for the least little look she received or word said to her.  
  
Everyone had been avoiding her. Darien had been with Severus for the last two days, every time he was with him mother he picked up on her emotions and would scream and cry. Hermione wasn't upset with Darien at all, Dante had told her that Mage could sense another's emotions, and to a Mage the effects were ten times as greater. So Darien was extra sensitive around her. Severus was looking through a book while Madam Pince was entertaining Darien. Severus was in the restricted section and there were to many books back here that Darien could get a hold of and cause things to go wrong.  
  
Dante came into the restricted section. "Someone needs to get that woman drunk or laid or something. She is driving me stark raving mad."  
  
Severus looked over at Dante. "She's driving everyone mad right now. I'm almost tempted to tell her to put the suppressing spell back on."  
  
"It would save everyone from the headaches she's giving us."  
  
Severus went back to the book.  
  
"Found anything that will help, with the jealousy spell?" Dante asked.  
  
"No. If I can't find anything I'm going to talk to Draco, he has all of his father's books. Lucius has bound to have something that would help."  
  
Dante leaned up against the shelf, "How is your Godson, you haven't talked about him in a while."  
  
Severus disgusted with yet another book put this one back on the shelf. "He's fine, expecting his second kid. Now I'll be a great-godfather of two. He's wanting a little boy, I have a feeling this one is going to be a girl too." Severus grinned at Dante, "Pansy told Draco she wasn't going to have anymore after two."  
  
"Bet that was a fight waiting to happen, if he wants a boy."  
  
"I left before I could see any of the nasty side of it. That was at the start of summer, poor woman is probably as big as a house by now."  
  
Dante shook his head, "You got to love them though, like we would ever want to tote around that extra weight. Have you looked into a potion that would help?"  
  
Severus gave Dante, 'you have to be kidding me' look. "That was the first thing I looked for. There isn't anything. I'm looking through spells, charms, hexes, anything."  
  
Dante patted him on the shoulder. "You'll come up with something, just make sure you wait until her raging emotions have settled down."  
  
"If I can hide that long."  
  
Dante left snorting at his last remark.  
  
Severus gave up, he'd been through every book in the restricted section that contained anything remotely close on love spells, jinxes, and hexes. He ran his fingers through his hair and headed to get Darien, if he was lucky he could be at the Malfoy manner and could have lunch there. He had yet to tell Draco about Darien, his Godson would have a fit knowing he had a son.  
  
Darien was sitting in Madam Pince's lap when he walked over, she was reading 'Quest for the Dragon', a wizard fairy tale for children. Darien was ooh'ing and aah'ing in the right places. Severus leaned across the counter balancing his chin on his hands watching his son. When Madam Pince came to the end Darien clapped and said. "More, more."  
  
"Tonight. Daddy will read you a story."  
  
Darien hopped out of Madam Pince's lap and headed straight for Severus after he came around the counter.  
  
"Thank you, Madam Pince."  
  
"It was my pleasure Professor Snape."  
  
Severus scooped Darien up and took him out of the library, both of them headed for the nearest floo that would let the out of Hogwarts. Darien's eyes were wide when they stepped out of the fireplace inside Malfoy Manner, taking in the huge immaculate room they were in.  
  
"This is Draco's house." Darien looked back at him. "Yes that Draco."  
  
Severus walked through the house calling for Draco, but only found a very pregnant Pansy and Tristin their two-year-old daughter.  
  
Pansy squilled when she saw Darien, "Oh, you're in trouble. Draco will have a fit, why didn't you say anything." Pansy came up to Severus and Darien, Darien lay his head on his father's shoulder. "Oh, he is too cute."  
  
"Thank you." Severus couldn't help but smiling, and Tristin started pulling on his pant leg.  
  
"Up! Uncle Sev. Me want to see."  
  
Severus bent down and Tristin's eyes got wide. "What's his name?"  
  
"This is Darien, Darien this is Tristin."  
  
Darien stayed right where he was just looking at the blonde headed little girl. After a few minutes he decided it was okay after his father shook his head yes and got down. Tristin led him off to her toys and the two started playing. Severus sat down at the table were Pansy was she had different colored baby print patterns out for the nursery.  
  
"What do you think?" She pushed some of them over to Severus.  
  
"That is Draco's department not mine. Where is Draco?"  
  
Pansy was just about to answer when Draco answered for her. "Right behind you."  
  
Severus turned to see Draco, he turned out to be a very handsome young man, and he had his father's style for the flashy walk. Draco walked over to Tristin when she started calling out Daddy, Daddy. He stooped down and looked from Severus to Darien.  
  
"Explain this." He commanded his Godfather.  
  
Over the course of lunch, Severus laid out his predicament with Hermione, and how he came to be Darien's father. Draco, who is smarter than some people think he is picked up on the fact that Severus wasn't telling the whole story, He had seen Hermione in the University, even had some classes with her. She never once had appeared to be pregnant. Adoption was logical, but she was a single witch, so he knew the Ministry wouldn't have allowed it, unless the parents had solely given her custody of the child. But even then, most parents wouldn't have allowed the child, to be given the paternity potion.  
  
Pansy was pissed, by the time Severus told them about the spells that Weasley had placed on Hermione. "I may have never really gotten along with Hermione in school, but I can't believe the fat Weasel would do that."  
  
Darien snickered anytime in the conversation that Weasel was said. Draco kept watching the little boy, he knew from the Ministry or at least the rumors that had started was that Harry Potter was missing. And Draco found it interesting that it seemed Darien could understand what they were talking about, he even noticed his Godfather giving Darien funny looks.  
  
"Well, we can look through father's books, but why not use a potion?" Draco asked.  
  
"Yeah, why not use the Polyjuice Potion. Like in second year, Draco found out Harry and Ron used it." Pansy stated.  
  
Darien started laughing as soon as Pansy said this. Draco narrowed his eyes at Darien then looked to his godfather, he was going to say something, but decided against it seeing that his godfather was now thinking.  
  
Severus sat back. He hadn't thought of this. The potions he was looking through had been to nullify the effect of the jealousy spell. It would still be him, just looking like Weasley. His mind kept working on it.  
  
"You know, that might work." Severus looked over to Pansy.  
  
"I don't see why it wouldn't. It would be you, but not look like you. I still can't believe he did that to her. I was sure those two would have been married." Pansy said.  
  
Draco pointed his fork at her, "But I told you last year some time I saw Potter kicking the crap out of the Weasel. Never figured out what that was about, guess we know now."  
  
"Now, I have some planning to do." Severus looked over at Darien and said the spell to clean him up from his lunch and picked him up. "You ready to go home?"  
  
Darien gave him a yawn while he was nodding his head, then he laid his head down on Severus shoulder.  
  
"I heard some rumors about Potter being missing. It's been going around the Ministry. Have you heard anything?"  
  
Severus looked at Draco. "We had some Aurors search the castle last week. Other than that I haven't heard anything, not even in the Daily Prophet."  
  
"Seems a little strange, there is no Auror investigation going on at the moment. I would have heard of that before they even started searching." Draco gave Severus a thoughtful look. "Seems to me, someone is jumping the gun."  
  
Severus sat up straight, Pansy picked up Tristin and carried her out of the room. "Do you want me to take him, Severus. I can lay him down."  
  
"Thanks, but no. I'll be leaving soon." Severus turned back to Draco. "So they didn't have authorization to come into the castle."  
  
"Authorization on any Auror investigations goes through my department. Pissed the Weasel off that I can deny or accept any investigation. I haven't seen any paperwork for searching Hogwarts, I wouldn't have allowed that. A letter from Dumbledore is all you need with anything with Hogwarts."  
  
"And nothing investigating Potter yet."  
  
"Nope." Draco frowned at him, then had a snarl on his face. "I'll take care of getting Weasel's hair. You need anything else let me know."  
  
"I will." Severus left to go back to Hogwarts, feeling a little better about the whole situation. He knew Draco would start piecing stuff together, but he needed to talk with Hermione before they told him who Darien used to be. 


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
"What do you mean you don't know where they are?" Hermione shouted.  
  
Albus was about to loose his patients when Severus walked in with Darien. Darien was still asleep on his shoulder when Hermione turned towards him. The first thing Severus did was put a silencing spell around Darien, he saw Hermione's eyes and they were filled with rage at the moment.  
  
"Where have you been?" She was striding across the Great Hall, her hair flying back as she came.  
  
Oh shit, Severus thought. He'd been hiding from her yesterday and this morning. Every time she ended up seeking him out, he knew Hermione wanted to get past the spells Weasley had put on her, but her emotions were raging out of control, he had to have her calm. That was the only way he could tell her about the Polyjuice potion, she had to be aware that it would be him and not Ron. He also noticed the way in which she carried herself made her sexy, even though it scared the shit out of him, her anger turned on. He'd seen that anger once before, it had been during the final battle with Voldemort. Severus had never wanted to be on that side of her wrath, but yet that wrath was headed straight for him.  
  
In a very calm voice, he answered. "Finding a way to take care of the reversal spell that wouldn't lead you to hate me or want to kill me. And I think I now have a solution to this, and I will tell you, if you calm down and talk to me like a normal person."  
  
"I am normal," she was gritting her teeth as she spoke.  
  
"Then why are you so angry?" He asked calmly, not getting baited into her angry game.  
  
She put her hands on her hips and glared daggers at him. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was calm before I became angry, and that maybe you had everything to do with this anger right now."  
  
"What have I done?" He really wanted to know, he couldn't fathom why she would really be angry with him. Avoiding her shouldn't have made her this angry with him.  
  
"I wanted to see Darien, I looked all over the damn castle, then I looked on Harry's old map. You and Darien weren't even here. How is that supposed to make me feel? You didn't even come tell me you were taking him out. He could have been hurt, or killed, I was worried about him, and the more worried I got the more angrier I became."  
  
Severus was appalled. You stupid thoughtless wonder, he thought, you took her son, no he belongs to both of us, but you didn't tell her. How more stupid can you get? Severus berated himself.  
  
"I did not think. Next time I leave with Darien, I'll make you aware of it."  
  
"See that you do." She was still glaring daggers at him.  
  
"Let's put our son to bed. I need to talk to you, and I rather him to be laying down." Severus didn't add the last part, that he wanted to strangle this woman for still glaring at him, he made a simple mistake.  
  
Severus and Hermione went to her chambers down near the dungeon.  
  
********  
  
Draco left the Malfoy Manor and headed back to work at the Ministry of Magic. His mind reeling with all the information he had just learned from his godfather. The first thing he wanted to do was to be able to get his godfather exactly what he needed to help Hermione. He had been careless in the past with how he treated other wizards and witches, he thought he was right that pureblood meant everything in the wizarding world. It didn't.  
  
Just like his father, Draco couldn't stay away from the Ministry of Magic, his life had been honed for office, and to work here one day. Granted, he was the youngest in his department who held an authoritative place, but he always made sure tried to do what was fair. The Malfoy name hadn't conjured up fairness, until now.  
  
Lucius Malfoy, unaware to everyone in the wizarding world, had been working secretly with Dumbledore. No one had known of this alliance, until the last battle, Draco's father had been instrumental with helping the Dark Lord fall. The battle had been talked about, but the details of that night hadn't been laid out. From what Draco had understood about that night was that Lucius and Severus had pulled Harry out of the room that was going to be his crypt. Severus and Harry found out about what side Lucius was really on that night. That was the most he could get his father to tell him, and he left it at that.  
  
Fudge had been ousted, and the surprising new Minister of Magic, had come to a great shock to many, Dumbledore was allowed to appoint the new minister. He appointed Lucius Malfoy, for his years of faithfulness with working for the order and keeping his role in the battle so well hidden. His father had to play the role about trying to help the Dark Lord return so he wouldn't comprise himself. Draco thought he did an excellent job at this, because even Draco and his own mother had never been aware just how far Lucius's loyalties had lie.  
  
After Draco had reached his office he found that piece of parchment for Auror experimentation that had came across his desk a few weeks ago. This was one of the dunderhead mindlessness that Fudge had left during his term. Draco saw this as his golden ticket to get what he wanted from Weasley. Turning he headed for his father's office. He had a few things to get off his chest and tell his father.  
  
********  
  
Severus and Hermione sat down in the alcove in her chambers, he had already put a silencing charm in the room so that Darien wouldn't hear them talking in case things got louder than he wanted them too. They would be able to hear Darien if he woke up.  
  
Hermione was still glaring at Severus.  
  
"I told you I will tell you the next I left with Darien. We are through with that discussion."  
  
Hermione huffed at him. She wasn't through with it yet, she could still feel those emotions as strong now as they had been when they first came to her. "I didn't like it."  
  
"There is no need to point out the obvious."  
  
"I think there is."  
  
Severus stood up and walked away from her. If it had been any other time and her emotions weren't so off the chart, she would see that he meant what he said. As it is, she couldn't see past her anger at the moment.  
  
"You're just going to walk away?" Hermione asked him.  
  
Severus turned back towards her, "We've discussed this, let's move on to something else. I don't feel like beating a dead unicorn, it'll get us no where."  
  
"Fine then. What do you want to talk about?"  
  
"As I said, I may have a solution to what you are experiencing with the jealousy spell. Are you willing to listen?" Severus was glad she wanted to move on, he felt like an idiot, maybe he should have apologized to her, but Snapes don't apologize. He was being stubborn, he knew this. But Hermione needed to realize also, if Darien was with him, Darien was safe.  
  
"I'll listen."  
  
"I plan on using a Polyjuice Potion, as you know it takes a month to brew it. Pansy suggested it, while Darien and I were at the Malfoy Manor. I over looked this potion, but I think it will work."  
  
Polyjuice Potion, Hermione thought to herself, and just who is he turning into. Wouldn't that have effects? I thought you had to be another person to take away the spell. Other questions flooded her mind.  
  
"It'll work, by the time the potion is done, your emotions should be back to normal. You shouldn't be going from one drastic extreme to the other."  
  
"I thought we were going to do this before school started."  
  
Hermione had been trying to peg Severus down on a certain date, he hadn't wanted to set one with her. Now he was glad he didn't have too, he had a potion to brew. "You're emotions will just be settling down when school starts, and if they don't. We'll need to give you some calming potions."  
  
"That is why I want to get all of this over with as soon as possible." Hermione stood, and pushed her shaggy bush of hair back away from her face. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of being like this. I can't even look at a man without feeling like I'm betraying Ron. And Merlin! We haven't been together for almost a year and a half."  
  
Who is she looking at, Severus thought? "It won't kill you to wait another month." He left unsaid, where as it might kill me.  
  
"I don't want to wait for another month." Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared defiantly at him.  
  
Severus pointed his finger at her. "You'll wait, or find someone else." Severus spun and walked out of Hermione's chamber. He couldn't stay any longer than he felt necessary, if he stayed any longer, he was liable to wring her neck with that attitude she had right now.  
  
It wasn't as if they hadn't fought before, but this was the first fight they ever had while he had some sort of feelings for her, and it stung. 


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
Draco waited patiently for his father, he had several men in his office and Draco stood outside the door. Just off to the side, old Slytherin habits die hard.  
  
"Run this by me again," Lucius said. Draco could hear the frustration in his father's tone of voice. "For the last month and a half, Potter hasn't picked up his mail that comes every Friday to the head office of the Apartments."  
  
"Yes, Minister."  
  
"He could be on vacation. People do it all the time, it doesn't constitute he's missing or any foul play has happened."  
  
Draco agreed, if had been Potter, he would have ran like the devil was chasing him. He'd seen what it was like that last month at Hogwarts, Potter couldn't go anywhere without anyone watching his every move. Would make even Draco himself want to disappear. Draco started listening again.  
  
"The tenants of the apartments went to go check Mr. Potter's apartment. According to Mr. Stagger, the apartment had been in a war zone, he said things where totally shredded. If that doesn't sound like foul play Minister I don't know what does."  
  
Draco heard his father sigh. "Anything could have happen. It doesn't mean Harry Potter is missing or gone or dead. No one else has reported him missing, the boy is probably gallivanting around the globe, doesn't even know about his apartment. If anyone would have reported him missing it would have been Dumbledore."  
  
Draco rested his head against the wall. Hogwarts was searched, that had been what Severus said, Draco thought.  
  
"No one has seen him, or the Granger girl he was living with something could have happened to both of them."  
  
Lucius groaned, "Now you're going to tell me next it was all the Granger's girl doing for Potter to go missing."  
  
"That's what we think."  
  
"I've heard enough, get out of my office." Draco knew that tone of voice, that tone was voice meant everything was closed, no further discussion till his father had time to think about it.  
  
"But, Minister. We want a formal report filed."  
  
"I said out."  
  
The door swung open and two wizards came out at almost a run. Draco smirked at them. They should have left when he had told them too to begin with, Draco thought. He waited for the wizards to be in the lift before he knocked softly on his father's door.  
  
The door almost flew off the hinges, "I told you two too." Lucius stopped when he saw his son and heaved a sigh of relief. "Now maybe I can have a decent conversation for a change." He ushered his son in his office and shut the door.  
  
Draco sat in one of the chairs in front of his father's desk. Eagle owl's sat roosted to the right near the windows; his father used them for owl posts that had to be delivered in a hurry. Draco saw his father slump in his chair, something his father rarely did, and he looked to be under stress, a lot of it.  
  
"Bad day?" Draco asked, testing the waters.  
  
Lucius snorted.  
  
"Tristin sends her love," Draco reached into his robe and pulled out his daughter's half eaten chocolate bar, and placed it on his father's desk. "She said she wanted you to have the rest, she said you needed it."  
  
Lucius picked up the bar and studied it. "What did she put on it?"  
  
Draco shrugged and grinned, "I don't think she put anything on it, but I wouldn't put it past her. You haven't been to the house in awhile."  
  
Lucius put the snipped off a piece of the bar and tossed it to one of the owls. Draco and Lucius both waited as the owl ate it, watching with fascination and horror. Tristin was a clever little thing, she had found a way in one of Lucius's old rooms in the Manor and had poured powder on a picture she had drawn him and put in an envelope, Draco had brought it to him innocently giving his father the gift his daughter wanted to give him. Lucius had warts on his hands for the rest of the day from her little stunt, he went and saw her that night, she was demanding her grandfather's attention, she said the wizarding world could have him later, she wanted him then. The owl nibbled at the chocolate and then it appeared all was normal, Lucius was about to take a bite of the chocolate until he noticed the owls feathers turning bright orange. Lucius immediately threw the chocolate away. "Tell her I'll be there tonight, and search her rooms again."  
  
Draco was shaking his head, "I have."  
  
"Then do it again. She's hiding this stuff somewhere. Merlin, even you used to pull stuff like this when you were little, wait until she does this to you."  
  
Draco smiled, he remembered some of the stuff he used to pull. His father coming home being angry, ranting and raving, then all was well after the chastisement, his father always showed affection even when he had gotten in trouble. "She is my daughter."  
  
Lucius smiled, "I know. Was there anything you needed?"  
  
Draco pulled the parchment out of his robe and pushed it across his father's desk for him to read, he could see his father rolling his eyes.  
  
"Fudge was beyond stupid, why didn't you just throw this out. It's useless."  
  
"Maybe not." Draco started, and then he started telling him of the interesting lunch he had Severus and his son. Lucius frowned, the more he heard the more his frustration grew. Lucius was pacing by the time Draco finished.  
  
"You want me to sign this."  
  
"Yes, sir. I want to give Weasley the assignment. He needs to be paid back for what he's done to her. This will make up for some of it, but not all of it. And one other thing, Severus said Hogwarts was searched for Harry Potter."  
  
Lucius's head snapped to Draco. "What do you mean searched? Only Auror are allowed to do any searches when it comes to Hogwarts."  
  
"I never assigned one. I think we have a couple of rouge Auror on our hands, and I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be Weasley and his two henchmen."  
  
********  
  
"Another month," Hermione shouted in the room. "I can't believe he wants me to wait that long."  
  
Hermione paced in her furry, thinking about what it would feel like, just to be free from the spells that Ron put her under. The tears were flowing down her cheeks, angry for what happened to her, stupidity for not noticing it in the first place, and hurting for being denied companionship with anyone else that wasn't Ron. Harry had been the only one there for her, her only true friend, had given more to her while they were friends and more to her than Ron ever thought about giving.  
  
"Mama."  
  
Hermione turned to see Darien rubbing the sleep out of his eyes in the doorway, she walked attentively to him, and she didn't want him screaming or crying because of her. She wanted the best for Darien, because that was something that Harry would have wanted.  
  
"Mama is here baby." Hermione bent down without touching him, just testing the waters while she was this close to him feeling everything she was.  
  
"Mama sad?" Darien reached out and wiped the tears from her cheek.  
  
"Yes, Mama is sad." She opened her arms and Darien came to her. She picked him up, he had been like a breath of fresh air in her life, so innocent, well at least as innocent as you could be with all those memories he had floating around in his head.  
  
Darien hugged her around her neck. "Dada make it better."  
  
She hugged him tighter, yes Daddy's always seemed to make everything better. She had even thought that about her own Dad. Always seemed to know what to do, even when half the time the didn't, it was just being with them that made everything better. "Yes, Darien, Dada will make it better."  
  
********  
  
Severus was in his private lab, cutting up ingredients for the polyjuice potion. The rhythmic slicing abated his temper somewhat. His mind going over what would happen, he wasn't sure how Hermione would react seeing Ron. The last time she said she froze, was cast back into memories of Ron. More likely of what Ron had done to her. That only fueled his hatred towards him. The Weasel would pay, and a pay a dear price for what he had done too. Severus was going to make sure of that.  
  
Albus came into the lab, "I just had an interesting owl from the Minister of Magic. He said no authorized searches of Hogwarts had been given to any Auror."  
  
"I mentioned the search while Darien and I were having lunch at the Malfoy Manor." Severus kept slicing.  
  
Albus sat on the stool that was beside the workstation. "Polyjuice potion, what ever are you brewing that for?"  
  
Severus paused and looked over at Albus. "Pansy had mentioned it. I wouldn't have to be myself, well I would be, but Hermione wouldn't have to see me. She would see someone else, maybe it will help negate the effects of the reversal spell."  
  
Severus had told Albus about what had happen, he told the old man a lot. He looked up to Albus and would do anything for him, he had done everything the man had asked of him or required of him to do.  
  
"Don't think that has ever been tried before. Might have to submit a paper on that, would be interesting reading."  
  
Severus smirked at Albus. Albus had Severus write several papers for potions journals, not that he wasn't thrilled to write them. Severus liked to stay in the background of things, he didn't like fame, never would, he had seen first hand of what unwanted fame had caused. Not that he didn't love Darien, he did, he realized he would of even loved Harry if Harry had come to him and asked to do the same that he had asked of Hermione. Granted, Severus didn't see himself as an ideal father, his own wasn't much of an example, but he had learned a lot from Albus over the years. Learned enough that he knew he would have to try his best, even if he failed miserably at it.  
  
"You want me to submit a paper?"  
  
Albus's eyes twinkled. "Only if you want to my boy. But it would work if you didn't have the other party's permission. It would be quite useful to know, if shall we say, this ever happens to another female who find herself in an unwanted predicament has Hermione found herself in."  
  
"I'll ask her, I'm not promising anything, but I'll ask." Severus finished up the slicing and started on the crushing of certain ingredients.  
  
"It never hurts to ask." Albus paused and watched Severus work for a while. "Poppy, Minerva and I think it's time now, that Hermione gets some help. It's been a week, I think she can have some potions now to help calm her."  
  
"She was under that spell for six years. She needs at least two weeks, you know that, if she has a potion now it'll throw her back into that spell without being able to come back from it."  
  
Albus sighed, "Well, you would know. The other professors are taking bets on how long it's going to be before Hermione will curse or hex someone."  
  
"Who's lost already?"  
  
"Sibyll, that was to be expected. The woman doesn't know Hermione that well. Everyone has different hours for the day before the term starts."  
  
Severus laughed. "That makes sense. If she'll do it, she'll do it before the children arrive."  
  
Albus rose, "Hagrid's under the impression she won't do it all, but then again, he's been out in his hut and hasn't been around her in the castle."  
  
Severus snarled, "Ought to make him move in for the this next week, maybe he'll change his mind."  
  
"We shall see," Albus walked over to the door and turned one last time to Severus. "Oh, before I forget. The Minister of Magic demanded you have dinner tonight at the Manor, he also said something about bringing your son and his mother. Shame on you for not at least telling Lucius, said something about having to find it from his son, who gloated to him that he knew something his father didn't. Time to make amends."  
  
Severus groaned, he just hoped Hermione would be in a better mood and that nothing would go wrong. Lucius was going to kill him, and he was going to have to explain things to Hermione, that Lucius would be Darien's godfather. He just hoped his day didn't get any worse. 


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
  
After finishing preparing the ingredients for the Polyjuice potion, Severus headed for Hermione's chambers. Maybe her mood had gotten better, she hadn't brought Darien back. No sign of his crying and screaming son. Severus said the password and walked in. Hermione was in the middle of the floor with Darien playing with the wizarding action figures. Hermione seemed to be loosing the battle that was raging between them.  
  
Hermione looked up at Severus as he walked closer to them, she wasn't glaring at him anymore. Darien had lightened her mood considerably, he had such an innocent awe when it came to playing with toys, just playing period, like it was all new to him. Hermione thought it was sad that Harry had told her he never got to play before, so what Darien was doing now was new to him.  
  
Darien lifted the dragon figure up to his father, "Dragon."  
  
"I see that." Severus looked at Hermione, her face was a little flushed and the smile on her face was a welcoming sight. "We've been invited to attend dinner tonight at the Malfoy Manor."  
  
The smile didn't stay long at all. "Why?"  
  
"The Minister of Magic requests my presence with my son and his mother." Severus told her.  
  
Hermione stood up from the floor, "I never really liked the Malfoys and they never liked me."  
  
"Give it a try. Either way I have to be there with Darien."  
  
Hermione looked down at Darien. "They never liked Harry." She looked back up at Severus. "Why can't you go alone?"  
  
Severus crossed his arms and rested them on his chest. "What are you so afraid of? He liked going there for lunch."  
  
Something just struck Hermione, she now remembered what Severus had said after he came back. She had been so angry with him for taking Darien, that Pansy was pushed to the back of her mind. How much did he tell them? He said she brought up the Polyjuice potion. He told them. Hermione's eyes got wide.  
  
"How much did you tell them?"  
  
"I told them about them about the jealousy spell, and trying to find a way for the reversal spell to work without negative effects. Pansy's idea was brilliant, I over looked that potion, and I've told you this."  
  
"Just great, just fucking great. Now the whole of the wizarding world will know, Pansy is one of the biggest gossips I have ever seen. Did it ever cross your mind that just maybe I didn't want anyone to know about this? This is rather personal you know." She threw her arms up in disgust.  
  
So much for the good mood she was in, Severus thought, my day and now my night is going to be hell. "So I made a mistake, but you do have to admit that it was rather clever of her to suggest that."  
  
"Praise be the little Slytherin for coming up with something clever." Hermione turned and walked into the bedroom. Severus followed her.  
  
He watched her going from one side of the room to the other, picking up things and putting them in another place in the room.  
  
"Are you about through with your childish tantrum?"  
  
Hermione spun she had crystal figurine in her hands and it went straight for Severus's head, "Childish tantrum? Is this what you think this is?"  
  
Severus ducked and the figurine shattered behind his head. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to ask, Severus thought. Merlin I have been and idiot where this woman is concerned. This is impossible, her emotions are being constantly under pressure and here I can't even say anything without making things worse, this has been why I never actively sought out a woman. I'm a complete moron where they are concerned. You're a total screw up, Severus. His mind was working overtime.  
  
"You're being hormonal." He growled at her.  
  
The spell came quickly, and Severus was thrown onto the floor clutching at his stomach. "Welcome to my world." Hermione strode over to him. "How do you like them stomach cramps? It's not all fun and games is it."  
  
Severus pushed up on his hands and knees, she hexed him. Hermione still had her wand pointing at Severus when Darien came running into the room and flung himself between them he was screaming at the top of his lungs. When Darien did this the whole room started whining, and three Professors came out of the fireplace in the bedroom. Minerva, Dante, and Albus all had their wands drawn. Albus had placed a fail-safe measure around Darien, if anyone pointed a wand at the little boy, alarms would sound and Darien would have protectors at his side in an instant.  
  
Dante was by Hermione and took the wand away from her before she could even do anything else. Albus took the hex off of Severus and Minerva picked Darien up who was still screaming and took him in the other room. Severus took the time to catch his breath as Albus started asking what was going on.  
  
Hermione glared at him, her anger coming back to full awareness and pointed at Severus still on the floor. "He told the Malfoys what was wrong with me. Did he ask me? NO! He took it upon himself to tell them my personal and private business."  
  
Albus looked down at Severus who now was standing slowly, even after Albus removed the hex, his stomach muscles were still twitching and tightening some, but not like it had been. "How was I supposed to know she would react like this?"  
  
Albus was rather tickled with the situation, not only had Hermione hexed someone, she hexed Severus. The bets placed also had to do with who got hexed. Albus just won the money on the who part, along with Minerva.  
  
"Severus, Hermione doesn't know the Malfoys like you do." Albus said.  
  
"She could at least trust my judgment. Lucius is Minister of Magic for Merlin's sake."  
  
"I don't care who he is." Hermione shouted at him. "You need to respect my privacy."  
  
Severus turned to her, "Lesson learned Professor Granger."  
  
"Good. Now can I get out of this dinner or not?"  
  
Albus spoke before Severus could, he had an ulterior motive, he wanted at least a couple of hours of peace and quiet and it would be nice to eat dinner again in some harmony. "Hermione dear, the invitation was extended to you as well. The Minister of Magic himself extended this invitation. I think it would be better if you didn't reject the offer, you might just learn something there tonight. You are never to old to not learn."  
  
Hermione saw his eyes twinkle; she couldn't believe he wanted her to do this. "Fine, but I'm doing this under protest."  
  
"We'll leave you to get ready for dinner then." Albus left with Dante.  
  
Severus didn't say a word, just grabbed some clothes for Darien and took his son to his chambers with him. Hermione could stew in her own juices right now, even if he was the cause of the anger. 


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
  
Severus had himself and Darien ready before Hermione even exited out of her chamber. Darien was in a set toddler dress robe, and Severus was dressed in a black dress robe that had his family crest on it in. The back of the robe had the crest in silver it was of a wolf, with a raven superimposed over it, a serpent was coiled just below them. Severus paused when he saw Hermione walk out. She had her hair pulled up, which revealed her supple tender neck and the bush of hair that she normally had, now sported relaxed curls that cascaded down her back. The dress robe she had on were royal blue, with moons and stars in a silver pattern on it. Hermione turned and looked at Severus when he started walking with Darien towards her. Severus couldn't take his eyes off of her, she was breathe taking. He saw the blush creep up in her cheeks and the stab of guilt that crossed her face as her eyes diverted towards the floor.  
  
Holding his arm out to her he said, "Shall we."  
  
His mother had taught him manners, they were required in the house he grew up in. Hermione slipped her hand into the nook of his arm resting her palm on his forearm. They started off down the hall to a floo that would allow them out of the castle. Hermione had been just as entranced as Darien had been when they stepped out of the fireplace into the Malfoy Manor. Darien started wiggling and Severus put him down, he saw Darien head off in the direction where they had lunch earlier that day. Severus steered Hermione into the direction that Darien was headed. When they turned the corner that Darien had already gone around they stopped at the sight before them. Lucius was grinning down at Darien.  
  
"My you sure do look like your Daddy. I'm Lucius by the way, Darien." Lucius offered Darien his hand.  
  
Darien was staring up in wonder at the tall man before him, when Lucius outstretched his hand; Darien had a scene that flashed before his eyes:  
  
The room was cold and black as night, the dirt floor barren of anything but for dust mites, and tiny creatures that lived in it. The walls were of brick and had faint designs scrawled all over them. It was a crypt of death. The feeling of the walls breathing in the essence of anyone inside it. His eyes had been accustomed to the dark; he could feel the cold wall on his back as he leaned up against it. Its coldness ran to the core of him, but to feel alive it was necessary. Time had no meaning here, everything ran into one long minute to hours of lifelessness.  
  
"Well Harry, you got yourself into something bad this time." The feeling of sadness and longing rushed into him. Loneliness engulfed him, and the utter bitterness that had been his life. "Hero of the wizarding world, yeah right, more like a walking death trap."  
  
Light from the moon came from the entrance, it was unexpected and bright. A branch of a tree that was on fire was thrown inside the crypt. Looking up, the blondes face shown clearly in the eerie glow of the fire, while the moon shown on his hair and gave him the appearance of a halo, the look of relief was clearly seen on his face. His hand was extended. "Take my hand, trust me, Harry. I'll never let anything happen to you."  
  
The hand that reached up, it couldn't touch the angelic apparition that had appeared.  
  
"Jump, Harry. We can't use magic, the crypt will kill us both, Voldemort rigged the crypt to blow like a bomb if magic was used inside it."  
  
It took three tries, the hand held firm to that skinny, bruised hand. He felt his body being pulled out, while death lapped at his heels, feeling robbed again. Robbed because he had accepted it would come, and he would have been glad. The arms tightened around him as he came through the entrance, "You're safe now." The hand came up and pushed the hair out of his forehead. "The last curse you sent, killed him. It took us a while to find you. No more scar."  
  
"There are always scars." The voice was small and weak, cracked from non- use. "They never heal."  
  
"Hush, don't talk that way." The blonde sent green sparks in the air, then turned back to the boy who defied odds yet again, he tilted his head up. "You mean more to people than what you know. You have the stuff that dreams are made of, that makes them come true. You give faith, when no more faith can be found."  
  
The feeling of hopelessness was fading some, the blonde had a hand in this. But it wasn't enough to vanquish it completely away, nothing could heal that scar, the scar of just wanting to be normal. The blonde was fading, the last words came almost from a well.  
  
"Don't give up, Harry, you'll find something or someone else to live for. When you do, you'll remember my words."  
  
Darien stared at the hand, Lucius, the hand was the same. Slowly Darien reached out and touched the hand. The sparks flew between his hand and the other, Darien watched the magic flow between them. Lucius was assaulted with the memory that Darien just had. When Darien looked away from the hand, he met those clear blue eyes that were now on his level.  
  
Lucius could feel everything the little boy had seen and remembered, there was no other way of describing it. He looked up at Severus. "When were you going to tell me?"  
  
"I meant to tell you sooner about Darien, but things kept coming up." Severus had been busy researching to help Hermione.  
  
"Darien? Don't you mean Harry?" Lucius looked pointedly at Severus and Hermione.  
  
Hermione gasped, Severus just looked at his friend wondering how he figured it out, and wondering more what Lucius would do, now that he was Minister of Magic. 


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
  
Lucius escorted Severus, Hermione, and Darien into his office off the main hall. There was a look of panic on Hermione's face, that Lucius noticed. Severus did not seem panicked at all, quite the opposite, Lucius's friend was reserved. Lucius was aware that Severus would wait and watch before he reacted. Severus took a seat in front of Lucius's desk, Hermione took one beside him. Lucius pulled a book off one of the bookshelves in the room and handed it to Darien, Darien flopped on the floor, looking more at ease than any of the adults in the room.  
  
Sitting behind his desk, Lucius steepled his fingers together and tapped them on his mouth, this was his more thinking position. "Anyone care to go first?" Lucius asked.  
  
Hermione fidgeted in her seat, Lucius narrowed his eyes at her for a brief moment then his gaze fell to Severus. His friend sat still, their eyes locked, Lucius would wait. He had learned how to wait out people, including one of his best friends.  
  
Time continued on in silence, the only sounds came from Darien flipping the pages in the book Lucius had handed him. Hermione fidgeted a little more.  
  
"This is ridiculous." Hermione said.  
  
Lucius turned to Hermione, "Care to start first then, Miss Granger?"  
  
She gulped her response.  
  
"Thought not." Lucius turned back to Severus. As curious as Lucius was about how Miss Granger ended up with her best friend as a child, he was more curious how his best friend, ended up being the parent of Harry Potter. It was a stroke of luck he found out, or was it? Lucius looked over at Darien, the boy had done magic, there was no other explanation for him seeing that memory from Harry's point of view, and feeling the things he did. It would explain a lot, at least from Harry's perspective of why he was now in the child state he was in. But it didn't explain the parents. Lucius looked back at Severus.  
  
Severus cleared his throat. "Before, I begin. How did you know Darien used to be Harry?"  
  
Lucius smiled at Severus. He had a feeling this might come about before he would get his answers. "When Darien, as you insist on calling him, touched my hand, magic flowed from him into me. I saw a memory, felt it even, everything about that memory, it could have only had been Harry in that memory and no other."  
  
Severus seemed to relax somewhat. "Where would you like us to start?"  
  
"The beginning is always the best place."  
  
Severus turned to Hermione, "You better start talking, and this started with you."  
  
Hermione shook her head no, and kept her head looking down. She wasn't about to tell them anything. She knew Severus knew, but she didn't want to say everything, why she had done this.  
  
"Leave her out of this for right now, tell me about you, from when you started in this, Severus."  
  
Severus laid out everything to Lucius, not holding anything back. Told him how he was to offer Hermione a position at Hogwarts, how he saw Weasley outside Potter's and Hermione's apartment. What he found, when he returned. What possessed him to brew the paternity potion, which was quite simple, with Harry being who he was now he needed more protecting than he ever did. Lucius nodded at intervals in Severus's story. When Severus had finished Lucius sat back in his chair.  
  
"Well, that was quite a tell. If I haven't seen the memory I would have said you would be in need of a stay at St. Mugo's." Lucius turned to Hermione, the young woman was too quiet for him. He'd never seen her so subdued before.  
  
Hermione sat lost in her own mind, this was the Minister of Magic they were sitting in front of. With him being Lucius Malfoy only made it worse for her. His family had hated her, she was mudblood, and they were pure blood. Her mind raced with thoughts of them taking Darien away, that she wouldn't allow the right to be his mother anymore, that she was causing a scandal upon the wizarding world, and that Darien would be taken away for the deception she was causing.  
  
She never saw Lucius stand, nor him picking up Darien for that matter. She wasn't aware that Severus was now in front of her. She hadn't heard a word that either man had said for the last ten minutes trying to get her to come back to them. When she felt the small hand on her shoulder, she was brought back.  
  
"Hermione," Severus said softly. "Are you okay?"  
  
Severus could see the fear in her eyes, he wasn't alone in this. Lucius saw it too. "Hermione," Lucius began, and then he sat Darien in her lap and knelt by the chair. "What are you afraid of?"  
  
Hermione was shocked that the man would even want to know anything like this, she was despised in the pure blood world. She pulled Darien to her. Darien wrapped his arms around her neck, he was looking at Lucius. "Mama scared, make it go away."  
  
Lucius frowned at the boy, even this boy was attuned to her feelings. "I can't make it go away, neither can your Daddy if we don't know what it is."  
  
"Hermione," Severus reached out for cheek and caressed it. "Talk to us."  
  
"I won't give him up." Hermione said softly.  
  
"Who said you would have too?" Lucius asked. "What are you thinking? You think that I would take him away? Even though I probably could, I won't. Darien has already bonded with both of you. I won't sever that, it wouldn't be in Darien's best interest."  
  
Something deep down in Hermione snapped, she had a memory wash over her, one not from her perspective:  
  
She was sitting across the room in the apartment, Ron had left that night, and they had a rather big fight. Harry was there and looking right at her.  
  
"He's not going to change, Hermione." Harry said. She felt the sadness that was in Harry, and the protectiveness he exuberated when it came to her, she also felt the longing in him, to be loved, loved only for who he was.  
  
"I think he has a point about the Malfoys, Harry." She had snapped at him.  
  
She felt the sad awareness that had been in Harry. "He's wrong, I know he's wrong. He's mad that Dumbledore overlooked his father for the position. Truthfully, I don't think his father would be able to handle being Minister of Magic."  
  
"Are you warped, Harry? Mr. Weasley would make an excellent Minister. He would be fairer to wizards and witches being born from Muggles than Lucius Malfoy. Why are you defending him? It's not like he ever did anything for you, cared for you."  
  
She felt the anger was over her from the memory, anger that was directed at her, and then she felt the relief when Harry had thought of Lucius Malfoy. 'You're wrong, Hermione' the thought riveted in her mind that was so strong in Harry's in the memory. 'One day you'll find out just the extent of how much Lucius Malfoy does care, I just hope you won't deny what will be in front of your eyes.'  
  
The memory faded, Hermione had tears rolling down her cheeks. She pulled Darien away from her and looked at him. "You were right you know."  
  
Darien gave her smile that was filled with hope.  
  
Hermione looked over at Lucius, she hadn't been the only one to have seen the memory, and even Severus had seen it. Severus let go of Hermione's hand he had been touching and sat back on the floor leaning his back to the desk. Lucius looked at her, "If you don't trust me, trust what Darien just showed you. I assure you, I only have his best interest at heart, even more so since he is Severus's son."  
  
"Why does him being Severus's son have anything to do with it?" She asked.  
  
"Everything," Severus said. "Lucius and I have a wizarding bond, I am Draco's godfather, and that makes Lucius Darien's godfather. This bond can't be broken, we made it before Lucius ever graduated from Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione couldn't believe what was she was hearing, she looked at Darien, "Does anything ever come easy in your life?" She asked him.  
  
To everyone's amazement, Darien just cackled with laughter and then flung himself towards Lucius. Hermione crossed her arms. "Okay little man, not only did I not pick your father, now I can't even pick your godfather. And just who is the adult here?"  
  
Severus sat up gripping the arms of her chair. "What do you mean? You gave him the potion did you not? I told you this was your choice."  
  
Hermione went red with embarrassment then proceeded to tell him what happen after he left, and how Darien had decided for himself who his father was going to be. Not only that, she even told them both about how Harry had planned her to choose after she got married and everything that she was aware of in documents she had signed. Lucius was curious about how something so important could have gone on in the Ministry like this un- noticed for so long. Lucius went to his fireplace and in a few minutes, Brian Trenton was in his home along with the documents after he saw that Hermione was there he brought them with him. Hermione said the incantations that opened the sealed documents.  
  
The first thing that appeared was a gold string that appeared in front of Hermione, Severus and Lucius. Hermione voiced her questioned quickly, "What is this?"  
  
Brian laughed at the curious looks on all three of them. "That is called a 'Delayed Family Tie', Harry had asked me about such things, I told you Hermione, Harry had a letter for his father in there. I think he added more than just one, so it seems. Pull the string."  
  
Each one pulled the strings before them, each of them had a letter. Sitting down the three started reading.  
  
i Dear Father,  
  
As you are aware, I am Harry Potter, please what ever you do, do not call me that. I despise that name, it has brought nothing but grief in my life. And you Severus Snape, should be full aware of this. /i Severus stopped reading and looked over at Darien now playing with Brian. How the hell did he know? He went back to the letter. i There is also something I need to tell you, the dreams that I had when Voldemort was still alive came true. They were visions, Dumbledore was aware of this as well as you, but I never told anyone about the ones that I had that revealed the future to me. I know we haven't gotten along well in the past, but I know what it will be like in the future. I saw the man that you were in that future, I liked it, really, and I loved it. The dreams started right after Voldemort was killed, I saw myself young again, innocent, something that I longed for and that I was denied. At first, I couldn't believe what I saw, I was thinking anyone but Snape, but the more I saw, the more I wanted that, the more I wanted you, you to be my father. So as soon I was able, I brewed the best damn potion that could make it happen, it wasn't easy, the damn unicorn blood gave me fits. Took me weeks to figure out how to get it out of the horn, but I figured it out. (10 points to Gryffindor) I also knew about the side effects, I didn't show them to Hermione, she would have freaked at knowing I would have my memories and my emotions, what's the use of being young again, if I can't experience it. Even in the visions and dreams I knew it was me, I could feel it, even heard the name, Darien, I rather like that name. It's amazing what sheer determination can get you if you have enough courage to make it happen. I also know this won't be easy, it's a lot to ask of you, but I promise, if you do this, you won't regret it, I won't allow it. I chose you, I could have picked anyone, I had several different visions of different fathers, I wanted you, and you always protected me when I needed it in spite of myself. I chose you, because you never treated me famous, you never let my fame interfere with your feelings towards me, even if you did hate me at times. There were a few times I hated you, but I saw something in you. Your loyalty holds no bounds, you let nothing stand in your way, and your honor is the same. I love those traits about you, and I would be honored if you allow me to stay your son.  
  
Forever, Darien Michael Snape  
  
PS. Please sign the papers, I want to know I'm protected. I love you Dad. /i Severus's hand trembled by the time he got through with the letter. Darien was standing before him, looking up at him hopefully. Severus reached out and pulled him up. "I'll sign them." 


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
  
Dear Mother,  
  
Well, how does it feel? Is it everything you expected it would be? I hope it is, and more. You'll always be my best friend, Hermione. And you always followed me in every adventure I ever had, knowing full well of the dangers that had appeared. Knowing full well that you didn't have to do this. For this, I am forever in your debt. I wouldn't have survived as long as I did if it hadn't been for your fast thinking, from that brain of yours that collected so much information in it while we were in Hogwarts. I'm just thankful now that you decided to adventure with me one more time, maybe the greatest adventure of all. So, how's Severus Snape taking to fatherhood? How are you taking to him as being my father?  
  
Hermione looked over at Severus, he was engrossed in the letter he was reading, and she then looked at Darien who was standing before Severus with an expectant eye. How the hell did he know? Hermione went back to her letter.  
  
Please Hermione, don't be mad with me, but Severus Snape is the best man for this job, you've got to admit, he has saved my life on several occasions. And, he never treated me like the boy-who-lived. I'll forever be in his debt, and I think this would be one way of repaying him, I'm not asking you to marry him, even though, that would make things easier on both of you if you chose to do that. I wouldn't be shuffled back and forth, besides, if I recall right, you were acting a little strange during our fifth year. I noticed it started in potions class, then several weeks later it stopped. You had a thing for our dear potions master, didn't you? (laughs evilly) I know you did, find it again, he deserves to be loved, he's not aware of it yet, but he has a lot of qualities that I admire in him, and I'm sure you'll see them soon, if you haven't already. Don't let him push you away, he just needs to get to know you, know the real you, the beautiful young woman you've become. That's the woman that I see, the woman that I knew would make a great mother, because you've already made a great friend, you've always treated me like a child in school. I led you to believe that I didn't like those talks when you came down on me for not doing my homework, truthfully, I didn't do my homework on several occasions just so you would talk to me that way, so I knew what it felt like to have a parent scold me, not harshly, but in a manner that you knew they loved you. This was the reason I picked you to be my mother, because I saw exactly what you had inside, and I loved that. I knew you would make a wonderful mother, and I'll let you in on a little secret that no one else knows. My visions and dreams just didn't involve Voldemort, Hermione. I could see the future, at least several different ones. It was wild to say the least, so I chose the one that I wanted to have happen. In all of them you were there, I chose the one that had the best outcome for you as well as for me. Give him a chance Hermione, trust him, I do, or I wouldn't have picked him.  
  
Forever, Darien Michael Snape  
  
PS. He'll sign the papers. Just watch. I love you Mom.  
  
Hermione put the letter down and saw Severus pull Darien up in his lap.  
  
"I'll sign them." Severus told him, she saw Darien throw his arms around him.  
  
Lucius carefully folded his letter and put it back in the envelope and placed it in his inside breast pocket of his robe. The mischievous twinkle in his eye passed quickly as it looked over at Severus.  
  
"Sign what?"  
  
Brian held up the documents and walked over to Severus and Darien, "I do believe, Darien now has a father, legally as well as biologically."  
  
"That he does." Severus answered and took the document and signed his name in every place that Brian had indicated. Brian placed the documents back inside their holder and sealed them. He left, knowing he wouldn't be needed.  
  
Lucius stood from behind the desk, "I do believe dinner is awaiting us. Shall we." He waved his hand toward the door.  
  
Narcissa and Pansy had been waiting for the office door to open. Narcissa knew something had been going one, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't listen in. Lucius had done this in the past, he was well known for not allowing ease dropping, but Narcissa wanted to know what had transpired, and she was even more curious about Darien. Pansy had told her all about Severus's son, and Tristin, you couldn't get her grand-daughter to stop talking about the little boy. Narcissa had laughed at how Tristin carried on, why even Pansy had done the same with Draco, when the two had been introduced. Pansy's mother sent her a rather long owl, going on and on about how her daughter had met the love of her life. Narcissa finally realized what Pansy's mother had gone through. She wasn't about to tell any of this to Pansy, Pansy would have it her mind to have the two children betrothed to each other. Narcissa despised the old tradition; she believed the heart should the one to choose. She never pushed Draco and Pansy together, she waited, though she was thrilled when they announced their engagement. She knew Pansy would one day be his wife, but with Tristin. She was a little hell on wheels, if she knew her grand-daughter, Tristin wanted to get close to Darien just to see how much she could do to the little boy. Tristin had a little mean streak in her, she would have to keep an eye on her granddaughter.  
  
Tristin came barreling back into the room in which Narcissa and Pansy were waiting, Draco had yet to come back home yet from work, he had owled saying that he would be late for dinner. Narcissa scowled at her granddaughter for the unlady like behavior the wild thing exuberated.  
  
"There out. Can we eat now?"  
  
"It is may we now, not can we. And a lady doesn't enter a room that way." Narcissa told the child.  
  
Tristin, having heard all this before, put her hands on her hips. "I'm not a lady, I'm a little girl."  
  
"And a very saucy one at that." Tristin spun around and looked up at her grandfather, she turned bright red when she saw the look on his face. "I do believe you owe my owl an apology at work. Orange feathers indeed. Were you trying to give me orange hair?"  
  
Tristin clasped her hands behind her back and swayed forward and backward, keeping her head lowered. The only two people Tristin really obeyed were Draco and Lucius, the child was rather wild around the women, not that they didn't try to curb her little antics that she got away with. It was that Slytherin trait inside the child that was hard to tame, she was very cunning.  
  
"No, I just thought I'd share my chocolate with you."  
  
"We are not through with this discussion, but we have guest, and I expect you to be on your best behavior tonight."  
  
Tristin looked up, "Yes, sir."  
  
They made their way into the dining room. Darien sat quite happily between Hermione and Severus, he was rather bashful every time Narcissa and Pansy smiled at him. Tristin didn't like the seating arrangements, she had to sit next to her grand-father which meant she had to behave, she wanted to sit next to Darien, she wanted to tell him all about her treasure box. She knew Darien would love her treasure box, she had all sorts of things in her treasure box, including the powder that had turned the owls feather orange, she made a mental note about what that powder did. She wouldn't be forgetting that in the future, it just might come in handy.  
  
Hermione didn't know what she had expected this evening to be like, but it had been a pleasant one. She found herself changing her opinions of the Malfoys even more so when Draco came through the door to the dining room. Draco came in with a child, no more than ten or eleven years old, about the size of a first year, or what she thought the size of the new first years would be.  
  
"Merlin's beard! Who is that?" Narcissa asked.  
  
Draco looked over at his mother, "Not sure what his name is." Draco sat the boy at the table. His clothes were rags, filthy from grime that had been ingrained in them, and his skin. Narcissa said a cleaning spell over the child quickly. It helped some but not enough to clean the boy up totally. Pansy had plate filled with food and put it in front of the boy. The jumped on the plate and started eating. Draco sat down by the waif. Lucius sat patiently waiting for his son to start talking.  
  
While Draco filled his plate he started on how he came across the boy. "Found him in Knockturn Alley. Him and two others. He was the only one who was a juvenile. Those rash breaks ins have been solved. The two older ones, who only finished their owls the year before." Draco looked over at Severus, "Donovan Blancher and Amon Witherman"  
  
Severus shook his head, both boys had been in Minerva's house. Severus kept a tighter rein over his crew at the school.  
  
"Has the headmaster been informed?" Severus asked.  
  
"Yes, both of them are being expelled. Such actions, as Headmaster Dumbledore put it, are not welcomed nor permitted inside Hogwarts, and that the two could consider their magical training officially over."  
  
Darien had stopped eating and was watching the boy across from him. He had black hair, no red tint, not like Darien's. His eyes were brown, Darien smiled as the boy took glances at everyone around the table, and he was shoveling his food in his mouth. Darien picked up his roll that was on his plate and handed it across the table to him. The boy eyed the roll and Darien. The boy slowly took the roll from Darien, Darien kept smiling at him. Severus leaned over to Darien.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked his son in a whisper.  
  
Darien smiled at his father. "Feeding Janus."  
  
The boy's head shot up, eyes wide. This was not missed by any at the table, at least not by the adults. Draco looked between Darien and Janus, "Okay, there is no way Darien could have known that." Draco looked on at Darien then to Severus. "Who is he?"  
  
Before Severus could speak, Lucius interrupted them. "Draco, drop it."  
  
Draco frowned at his father, he would drop it for now, but he still wanted an answer. Janus kept looking at Darien, still shocked at Darien knowing his name. Darien kept smiling at him. Hermione was shocked that Darien would know the boy, but another thing crept up in her mind, Harry had visions of the future, he would know if he had seen something. Hermione looked at Severus, Severus was to busy watching the boy across the table, she could see him clearly thinking.  
  
"The question now is, what are you going to do with him Draco?" Lucius asked. "The boy clearly has no one."  
  
"I know where he'll be in two weeks. At Hogwarts, he has a train ticket, the list of supplies, the letter is smudged beyond reading, I tried to get his name from that, but no amount of magic helped." Draco eyed the boy beside him again.  
  
"Are you sure it is even his letter?" Severus asked with a raised brow.  
  
Darien snickered and Severus glanced at his son, the absurdity of the question just hit him. Of course it was the boys letter, Darien wouldn't be acting like this if it weren't.  
  
"Pretty sure, the envelope on the outside had Knockturn Alley as the resident, wooden box fifth one down, from apocathery there." Draco looked at Janus.  
  
Janus was back to eating now on his second plate of food that Narcissa had fixed him. Severus shook his head, Knockturn Alley was no place for a child, much less one that looked like he was orphaned.  
  
"He'll need supplies," Lucius said.  
  
"How is he going to pay for all of that?" Hermione asked, clearly concerned for the boy.  
  
"The Ministry has a fund set aside to pay for orphans, if the parents hadn't left anything for the child. The funds are low at the moment; Fudge didn't quite keep the money flowing for this. I'm not even sure if there is even enough money in the fund right now to actually pay for another student, it is already paying for twenty five students at Hogwarts who were left orphaned by Voldemort."  
  
"Lucius, we can pay for the boy, at least until the Ministry can maneuver some funds around." Narcissa stated.  
  
Lucius smiled at his wife, "That's what I was thinking."  
  
Hermione was pleasantly surprised, she may have not have liked the Malfoys before, and Harry had been true to his word. If she only opened her eyes she would be shocked at what was before her. And it gave her a new outlook on the Malfoys, one that she would have normally associated with the Weasleys.  
  
A/N: Janus, means beginnings or archway. Also is where our name for January came from on the calendar. 


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
  
Narcissa got Hermione to help her with Janus, while the men went off in the den to discuss political issues with the Ministry. Pansy took Tristin to her bedroom and decided to lay down herself, Pansy had been feeling tired and the baby was due any day now. Darien went with Hermione and Narcissa.  
  
The bathroom was large, lush gray carpet covered the floor, the tub was sunk into the floor the size of a small swimming pool, the fountain for the water to come out was that of a small waterfall, Hermione found herself wistful for a bathroom like this one. Darien didn't take his eyes off of Janus. Janus eyed everything and everyone with suspicion, he'd never had anyone take him in their home before and feed him, and he had never been in someone's home before for a bath for that matter. His eyes were as wide as Hermione's when it came to admiring the room.  
  
"A bath and a change of clothes should have been first on the list instead of food. But, we can't have everything perfect." Narcissa said. "I'm going to run the bath water, then Hermione and I will step outside, leave your clothes on the floor and get in, scrub yourself clean."  
  
Narcissa set the waterfall to start filling the tub, as it did, steam came up from the water that started pooling at the bottom, along with a strong scent of mountain air, the soap bubbles started turning green and Darien giggled at the color of the bubbles.  
  
"Like that do you?" Narcissa asked him.  
  
Darien reached to take his robe off and Hermione stopped him. "Nope, maybe next time little man. Janus needs the bath this time." Hermione noticed the look on Janus's face, the boy looked absolutely frightened of the water. "Mrs. Malfoy."  
  
Narcissa turned, "Call me Narcissa, please." She noticed the look on Janus's face. "Dear me." Narcissa stopped the water. "I'll be right back." Narcissa left the bathroom.  
  
Darien went over to Janus and grabbed his hand, Janus looked down at him. "Bath fun Janus."  
  
Janus pulled his hand away from Darien and started backing up shaking his head no as he went, he stopped when he hit something solid. Darien was smiling up at Lucius who Janus had backed into.  
  
"Hermione, would you mind leaving us men in the bathroom alone, please." Hermione reached down to pick up Darien but stopped when she heard Severus. "Leave him in here."  
  
Hermione looked up, Severus was right behind Lucius. She walked past Lucius and Janus, Severus took her hand and led her out of the bathroom.  
  
"Give us time, you know how Darien loves baths, it'll probably help the boy to see baths can be fun." Hermione nodded and left with Narcissa.  
  
Narcissa and Hermione went to another part of the house, while the men took care of getting Janus clean. Draco was already in the room when Hermione walked in with his mother. Draco held up a few robes. "What do you think?"  
  
Narcissa looked at the robes. "He's smaller than that Draco, don't you think so Hermione?"  
  
Hermione came closer and looked at the robes, they were Draco's old robes, and the whole closet was filled with clothes from his childhood. She reasoned she was standing in his old room. "He's smaller than that."  
  
"Thought so," Agreed Narcissa. "Where are the clothes before school?"  
  
Draco shut the wardrobe up and spun around the room looking, "I think they are packed. Blue trunk."  
  
Narcissa, Hermione and Draco set about the room looking in the blue trunks. There were several of them. Hermione shook her head after the second blue trunk, Draco was a packrat, and he never got rid of anything. Besides clothes, Draco had books, toys, magazines, newspapers, articles torn from different books or magazines, collections of different wizarding trading cards, besides chocolate frogs, he even had international ones, and one trunk held letters for every owl he ever received.  
  
"Merlin's Beard! Draco. How are you ever going to get this room ready for the baby if you have all this junk left in here." Narcissa asked her son, disgusted with not being able to find the other set of clothes they were looking for.  
  
"It'll get done Mother, I'm taking half the day off tomorrow. I had planned on moving stuff out then." Draco opened a red trunk. "Found them."  
  
Narcissa and Hermione looked at each other. "Red trunk." Both said at the same time and rolled their eyes. Both women walked over to the trunk and started going through the clothes, picking out stuff that would fit Janus. Draco emptied out a trunk and used his wand to change the name on the trunk, he left the last name blank. Janus now had a trunk for school. The knock on the door interrupted the three from gathering things for Janus, Lucius was at the door with Darien in his arms.  
  
"Draco, I had Severus take the boy to Hogwarts."  
  
"I haven't released him yet." Draco told his father.  
  
"Draco it was either Hogwarts or St. Mugo's, since the boy is going to be at Hogwarts soon it was better to let him go there now. Severus won't allow the boy to go anywhere. Besides he isn't released from the Auror division yet, but the boy needs medical care." Darien yawned in Lucius's arms. "And this young man needs to see a bed."  
  
Hermione stood up and walked over to Lucius and Darien went in his mother's outstretched arms. "How bad was Janus?"  
  
"From what Severus and I could gather, from some of the dirt we managed to get cleaned off of him, he has some infections, open sores. Most of that, probably came from living on the streets, the boy still hasn't said a word."  
  
Draco shrunk the trunk, and came over along with his mother. "Hermione, I'll follow you back to Hogwarts, I'm going to have to get Severus to sign for the boy for right now, at least until we can figure out who he is. He wasn't supposed to leave me."  
  
"Couldn't be helped Draco." Lucius said. Lucius put his arm over his wife's shoulders, "Let's walk my godson and his mother to the floo."  
  
Draco looked over at Darien whose eyes were starting to droop now that he had a full tummy and was in his mother's arms. He couldn't resist in caressing that soft cheek, Darien gave Draco a sleepy smile, Lucius smiled at his son, wondering whether his son would show that much affection once he told his son who that little boy really was. Lucius wouldn't be able to keep it from Draco, and he had a feeling that Draco would help keep Darien safe, knowing how young he was. Narcissa gave Darien a kiss on the cheek when they reached the floo, and set up a time with Hermione. Hermione was surprised that Lucius and Narcissa wanted to get to know her better, but accepted a time for lunch in two days. Narcissa told her it would be a good day for them to get Janus's things for Hogwarts if the boy would be able to go too.  
  
Draco followed right behind Hermione and Darien inside the floo, bringing the trunk and the papers he would need Severus to sign. Hermione headed off to her chambers with Darien, while Draco headed to the infirmary.  
  
Severus was sitting on one of the beds across from Janus with Albus and Minerva when Draco walked in. "Did Hermione and Darien get back?"  
  
"Yes, we didn't keep them, though her and Darien have a lunch date in two days with Mom and Dad." Draco looked over at Janus, he looked a little better with being cleaned up, what Draco had mistaken for ingrained dirt on the boy's face now appeared to be bruising, he looked small laying in the bed with Poppy going over him from head to toe. "What's the verdict?"  
  
"Court is still out." Albus told him.  
  
Draco sat next to his godfather and pulled out the papers. "Sign these."  
  
Severus looked at the papers and read through them. "Why do I have to sign these?"  
  
"I need someone to look after him for right now, Pansy can't and I can't with work going on. I was going to ask you anyway, he'd be going to school here, so it'll only be temporary."  
  
"Fine." Severus signed the papers and handed them back over to Draco.  
  
Draco looked at Albus, "Now, you and I need to have a chat. Did you keep the papers that the Auror showed when they came to search Hogwarts."  
  
"Yes, there up in my office. So your father got my owl?"  
  
"Yes, sir. He put me investigating this, I need to see the papers."  
  
Albus stood, "Let me know about the boy, Severus." Draco followed Albus up to his office. Draco wanted to make sure everything on this assignment was going correctly, he would have another Auror to come take Albus's statement, along with the other professors. They just incorporated a new division inside the Auror office, one for internal investigations, this was a new branch, and so far Draco and one other Auror had been incorporated inside this branch.  
  
When Poppy finished, Janus was sleeping, she had given him multiple potions for his injuries. She scowled at the extensive scaring across the boys body, he still hadn't said anything, he didn't even cry out when she had to re-brake his arm and reset it so it would heal properly this time. She could tell he was in pain, but the boy wouldn't say or do anything. She checked his vocal cords and his throat, he was capable of speech, his hearing was fine, so other than him not wanting to speak was up to him. The list of his injuries was extensive, some recent, the infections in his body would be cleared up within the week, and his other scars would be permanent. She handed the list over to Severus.  
  
"I'm not sure what all has happened to this boy, but wherever he had been, he doesn't need to go back." Poppy looked gravely at her friends.  
  
Severus looked over the injuries that were on the list, he was more revolted by what he read by the time he got towards the end of it. He left the infirmary with the list and headed up to Albus's office, he wanted to catch Draco before he left. He couldn't see how this boy was a part of the break-ins, there was no way for it. Severus got to the gargoyle as Draco stepped out of the wall with the stairs that led up to Albus's office.  
  
"Draco, are the Auror pressing charges against the boy for the break-ins?"  
  
"From the story we got from the other two so far, yes, but I'm hesitant on that. Even Auror Anderson is hesitant on charging the boy. Auror Anderson is supposed to report to me tomorrow of his findings in Knockturn Alley about the boy."  
  
Severus duplicated Poppy's report and handed it to him, "Make sure you include this in with that report. He couldn't have done it, I'm not saying he's not involved, but I don't think he's capable of doing much in what condition he was found in."  
  
Draco looked up from reading, "Did Poppy take pictures?"  
  
Severus shook his head yes.  
  
"Looks like we have more to investigate than just break-ins."  
  
"I would think so, Poppy should have the seamen samples too. If you'll excuse me I need to talk Albus." Severus left Draco and headed upstairs, this was one time he didn't want to talk to Albus. Janus was better off being in Hogwarts right now than on the streets, the boy wasn't talking, and Severus couldn't blame him. Just from the report, he didn't know if the boy would talk for a while. 


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23  
  
His eyes came open slowly, the smell was different. No longer the pungent odor of the box; it was quiet, typically sounds of feet scuttling across cobblestone pavement could be heard, the flapping of the plastic across the wooden box too. Not a sound, it was so quiet, almost frightenly so. The room was bright, Janus slowly sat up, and leery about where he was. Adults weren't supposed to be trusted, Janus had learned this lesson in life early. He saw the blue robe, dark royal blue, and the silver emblem on the outside, this wasn't the first time he'd seen it. He stared transfixed on the emblem, a crescent moon with a star dangling from it.  
  
Draco watched, as Janus didn't take his eyes from his robe. Auror Anderson said the boy reacted the same to him. Last night, at the Ministry Auror Anderson had a time with the boy, he fought the whole way, when Draco had showed up and took the boy in another room, he stopped fighting. Now the fear was back in the boy's eyes.  
  
"Remember me?" Draco asked. Janus looked up, but still didn't say anything. "I took you home last night, you ate dinner at my house."  
  
Janus didn't move other than his eyes going from the emblem back to Draco's. Draco pointed at the emblem. "It means I'm with the Auror at the Ministry. Do you know what they are?"  
  
Janus looked past Draco at the door, Severus came in and walked up to them. "Said anything yet?"  
  
"Not a word." Draco ran his hand across his face.  
  
Severus walked to the foot of the bed. "I'm Professor Severus Snape, I teach potions. You're at Hogwarts, did you read your letter?"  
  
Janus looked up at Severus, he nodded to him. Well, at least the boy can read, Severus thought to himself. "Did you send an owl back?"  
  
Janus shook his head.  
  
Draco watched the boy as he responded to Severus. "Did you break into the shops in Knockturn Alley?" Draco asked.  
  
Janus looked back at Draco then at the emblem on his robe, he didn't say anything or give any indication. Severus asked him the same question, Janus shook his head no. Severus smirked at Draco and then took him aside beyond the boys hearing.  
  
"He doesn't trust you." Severus told him.  
  
"You think! What ever gave you that idea?" Draco spat at Severus.  
  
"Anytime he looks at you he has fear in his eyes, he didn't last night. What's different?"  
  
Draco thought back, the only thing different that he could think of was his robe. He didn't have on his robe, it was late when he came back from talking to the researchers, and he had taken his robe off. Janus had gone somewhat willingly with him last night where he had been fighting tooth and nail with Auror Anderson. Draco looked back over at the boy; thoughts kept resurging in his mind. "It's the robe. Or it could be just this." Draco thumped the emblem that covered his left breast, which distinguished Auror.  
  
Draco took the robe off, Severus and Draco spent the next hour talking to Janus, well Janus would only answer in yes or no questions, while the boy not only one breakfast but a second one. Within that hour Draco found out that the two boys from last night were the ones doing all the break-ins. Janus could even point out which shops were broken into off of a map that Draco had of both Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. Janus pointed out every shop that had been broken into since the beginning of summer term. Janus didn't know the boys, they found out he was just on the street and got caught in the sweep when the Auror descended into the Alley. There was still something plaguing the back of Draco's mind, he picked up his robe and showed Janus the symbol again.  
  
"Janus, did someone hurt you who was wearing something that looked like this?" Draco asked.  
  
Janus looked away, fear and hurt, plainly to be seen in his eyes.  
  
"That's enough for today, Draco. Don't push him." Severus said.  
  
*******  
  
Lucius sat in his office, he sat scowling at the front page of the 'Daily Prophet'. The headline read: Minister Blunders, Harry Potter Missing or Dead.  
  
This reporter writes with a grave heart, for the wizarding world as we know it, has come to a close. Harry Potter, defeater of You-Know-Who, has now become the Boy-Who-Is-Missing-Or-Dead. I have from a reliable source that Harry Potter hasn't been seen at his apartment, nor has anyone seen him at all. A concerned citizen reported matters to the Minister, and the citizen was thrown out of his office. Can a Death Eater really change their stripes? We all agreed that Fudge and his brainless antics needed to be changed. Everyone looked to Albus Dumbledore to accept the position of Minister, yet he appointed one instead. Even with all the dim-wittedness of Fudge, he never lost the Boy-Who-Lived.  
  
Lucius sat fire to the paper, and started pacing around his office. He had been barraged with owl after owl wanting an investigation open. He patted his pocket, the letter tucked safely inside his breast pocket. Harry had one request of him, he would do this, and would love doing it. He just had to wait for Draco to get back from Hogwarts. His laughter cackled around the office, oh how the boy thought of everything.  
  
********  
  
Dante walked into the infirmary, he stopped when he saw the laying on the bed. Poppy running a scan over him.  
  
"Didn't think the new term started yet?"  
  
Poppy looked up, "Not yet. This is Janus, he'll be staying till the term, and then he'll be sorted into his house."  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have my potion ready would you Poppy?" Dante smiled at her.  
  
"Yes, sitting on my desk. Severus said he'll brew some more, how you drink that vile stuff I'll never know." Poppy's upper lip curled.  
  
Dante shook his head as he walked past her. "Sometimes, you just hold the nose and drink, and don't think about the taste."  
  
Dante picked up the potion and turned back to look at the boy. He drank the vile thing, he would need more later that month. It was the only thing that helped. He had been bitten a year ago, he was in the Albanian forest at the time, tracking some werewolves. The little vulture had caught him off guard; how he didn't spot the thing was beyond him. The wicked little fairy, she had sunk her razor sharp teeth in him before he could react. He had a werewolf in front of him, he had been more alert to its presence then the fairy. This certain breed of fairy was dark, not the friendly little things that Muggles told their children about. They were also rare, not too many lurked about these days, mostly they stayed hidden, but he had crossed into their territory after the stupid werewolf. The venom from their fangs had set in on the third that it took him to get away from the forest. By the fifth day, he had been in bad shape, a friend had told him about a potions master who lived at Hogwarts. Dante had set out for the school, this same friend had told Albus about him. So Dante struck up a bargain with Albus, get his potions master to create a cure for Black-Droxy Fairy, and he would teach. Little did he know, that Severus had already been experimenting with these certain fairy, they had a few in the Forbidden Forest. Dante had to take the potion for three years straight in order to extract the venom from his system. It wasn't pleasant, but it was better than your brain turning to a gray lump of goo.  
  
Poppy finished with Janus and walked back over to Dante. "Should teach you to go traipsing around forests."  
  
"Where is your sense of adventure?"  
  
"Right here, where it ought to be. I have enough adventure come walking through that door. Every year it's different."  
  
Dante gave her a bow, "Touché."  
  
Janus watched them, Dante smiled at the boy. "I'm Professor Longfellow, I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts." Dante extended his hand to the boy as he came over to the bed. Janus looked at it. "I won't bite."  
  
Janus shook the hand tentively. Dante felt the fear, pain, hurt, longing, hatred, curiosity, hopefulness, and a few more that passed quicker than he could get. Dante conjured up a chair by the boy and sat down.  
  
"So you're going to be going to Hogwarts, what do you think about that?"  
  
Janus shrugged.  
  
"Don't be surprised if he doesn't talk." Poppy came over with Janus's lunch that she sat down on the bed tray for boy. "Hasn't said a word since he got here."  
  
"Strong silent type. Why would he need to speak Poppy? You're catering to his every whim." Dante grinned at her.  
  
Janus snickered.  
  
"Oh don't encourage him Janus." She playfully slapped Dante on his shoulder.  
  
Dante turned back to the mystery boy before him. "Well, you don't have to say anything if you don't want too. Agreed?"  
  
Janus nodded and plowed into his food. Dante talked about his time in the forests telling the boy about himself, about Hogwarts, watching him for any sign of him recognizing anything. He'd seen enough Muggleborns wizard and witches to know if the boy was one, he didn't appear to be one. Wasn't shocked when he mentioned fabled magical creatures. So it put the boy in the category of being a wizard and knowing he was one.  
  
"Janus Ankaa Onasis-Snape." The name was said from the doorway and Janus's head spun to the voice.  
  
Severus watched as the boy's head snapped towards him. Albus and Severus had gone back through the book, that wrote down every witch and wizard that had their name written in it that would be given owls to go to Hogwarts. Took them a little over an hour to find the name. After his name was found Albus conjured the Snape family line, Janus was related to Severus, his secound cousin, but they were related. Through Severus's uncle, that he hadn't seen. Janus had no other family but him, but Severus hadn't even been aware of the boy. Albus sent a letter off to Draco, stating Severus's family relation to the boy.  
  
"Ankaa, how interesting." Dante said.  
  
"Yes, he's named after an Arabian Phoenix." Severus sat down at the foot of Janus's bed. "Is your parents alive?"  
  
"No." Came out in a very timid voice. "My father was killed before I was born. My mother died two years ago, after we moved to London. We didn't use our full last name, mother said we couldn't. My father was killed because of his last name, that's what she told me, she changed our name to her's, Onasis. I am not a Snape." Janus stared at Severus, "I won't go back to that orphanage."  
  
"Right now, the only thing you need to worry about is getting better, school starts soon. You won't be going anywhere but school." Severus reassured him.  
  
"I didn't owl back."  
  
"You've been accepted, unless you don't want to go to school here." Severus watched as the boy.  
  
Janus thought about it, he didn't want to go back to the orphanage, but he didn't want to go back to the streets. He didn't have much of a choice. "Then I guess I'll go to school here." 


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24  
  
'I am not a Snape' those words kept ringing in Severus's mind as he walked down to Hermione's chambers after he talked with Janus; Dante went off to his office to gather up some tests for the boy, to make sure he wasn't behind. Janus hadn't been in school for two years. He left the orphanage after a brief stint of three weeks, he hadn't said why, but Severus got the feeling along with Dante that his stay there hadn't been a pleasant one. Severus couldn't figure out why he hadn't been informed of the boy.  
  
Darien was asleep on the couch, Hermione was sitting in the alcove at the table with parchment spread in front of her and charm books scattered here and there. Severus sat down beside her, "You got your schedule almost done?"  
  
"Almost, just finishing up the seventh years." Hermione sat back and reached for her neck. She was sore from working on this.  
  
"Come here." Hermione scooted closer to Severus; he moved her hair away from her shoulders and started working the knots out of her neck and shoulders. Severus found himself swallowed inside the softness of her skin, he leaned forward, and her scent was mesmerizing.  
  
"Are you starting to feel better?" He asked.  
  
Hermione could feel his breath as it brushed across her skin, she was feeling guilty for even indulging in just this simple act of easing the tension in her body. She wasn't going to give into that guilt, she knew it was not what she wanted to feel, it was a byproduct of the spell Ron cast on her. "Yes, that feels good."  
  
She felt his fingers rub up the back of her neck and into her hairline, his fingers were like magic on her, the knots dissolving under his touch. She heard him shifting behind her, then she felt his legs on the outside of hers, his body radiating heat from behind. His scent was flooding her senses, spices and ingredients of potions that he handled. Despite the feelings that the spell from Ron, she found herself not wanting to get away from Severus. His hand came to the front of her throat and she felt the gentle pressure pulling her back. She rested her head against him as his arms came around and held her.  
  
"Better?"  
  
His voice sent a shiver down her spine and Severus pulled her closer, she could feel his breath washing over her hair.  
  
"Hmm."  
  
She felt his chuckle as the vibrations hit her back. "I'll take that as a yes."  
  
"How's Janus?"  
  
"He's talking. Started talking after I said his full name. I'm guessing he thought we would send him back to the orphanage. He refused to go back there." Severus rested his chin on the top of Hermione's head. He wasn't sure what possessed him to hold her, but the need was there. Part of it could be the boy didn't want to be a Snape, Severus wasn't proud of being a Snape himself at times. This was the first time in a long time that he felt relaxed and comfortable around someone else other than Albus.  
  
"Has he been hurt real bad?"  
  
Severus sighed, Hermione hadn't been there last night, and this morning breakfast and lunch had been spent in here, while she was catching up doing the schedules for her classes. Severus and Hermione had rearranged classes around so that Darien spent the most time with them than with any other Professor during free times. Dante was the other one who had more time with him.  
  
"Yes. He's been abused in every fashion that we can see." Hermione tensed at the tone in Severus's voice, Severus moved his hands across her arms that were under his hands. "He's been on the street for over a year, he's a tough kid, he'll pull through this." He was a Snape, he'll come through, fighting everything along the way to do it. Severus left this last part unsaid.  
  
Hermione looked over at Darien still asleep on the couch. "Do you think Harry saw Janus in his visions and that is how Darien knew his name?"  
  
Severus looked over at Darien and rested his cheek on Hermione's head, "Probably. Janus is my second cousin. His name is Janus Ankaa Onasis- Snape, but adimantely denied being a Snape. He hates it, you could see it in his eyes, as much as Harry hated being Potter."  
  
"Harry had a reason too." Hermione told him.  
  
"So does Janus. He said his father was killed because of his last name. My Uncle was murdered about twenty years ago, Snape's aren't well known for their likability, my Uncle was ruthless and lived that way, raised my cousin to live that way. Janus doesn't remember his father, he said he died before he was born."  
  
"How sad."  
  
Both stopped talking as Darien started stretching, they watched. Darien's eyes came open and when he saw Severus and Hermione the smile crept across his face. "Looks like someone woke up happy." Severus stated.  
  
Hermione moved out of Severus's arms, the warmth that he had up against him left, he watched her move across the room towards Darien and pick him up for hug and a kiss. Severus was jealous, but it didn't last long, Darien wiggled free and ran to him giving him the same he gave his mother.  
  
"Wanna see Janus."  
  
"We'll have to ask Poppy."  
  
Darien grabbed Severus's hand and pulled. "Go, go."  
  
Severus stood up and grabbed Darien and picked him up like a sack of potatoes. "You know, your son is very demanding."  
  
Darien was laughing over his father's shoulders.  
  
"You think he gets that from me?" Hermione asked innocently.  
  
Severus walked to the door, took one last look at her. "Whole heartedly from you." Severus flashed her a wicked smile and walked out with Darien tossed over his shoulder.  
  
********  
  
Draco sat in the chair across from his father reading the letter. The more he read, the more he understood, understood how Harry really felt about his life and those around him. How he perceived the way people only wanted to get close to him because of his fame. Draco laughed when he got to the end of the letter and looked up at his father.  
  
"He really wants you to do this?"  
  
Lucius shook his head yes. "He is my godson now Draco. Harry thought of everything, this is actually very Slytherin of him."  
  
Draco sat back after he handed the letter back to his father. "What about the papers? The reporters?"  
  
"You'll start an investigation. I've already filled out all the paperwork." His father handed him a scroll of parchment. "Leave the papers to me. Here's the key to the vault, only you and I can access this vault." Lucius tossed him a key.  
  
"Do we even know what is in it?"  
  
"Nope, but according to the letter. You have first crack at the vault."  
  
Draco stood and shook his head. "I think I like him more now than I ever did."  
  
"He'll need more protection now, he may not have anyone trying to kill him now. But he is rather defenseless right now Draco."  
  
Draco looked at his father. "It's amazing how he knew all of this was going to happen. I just hope this works." Draco walked out of the office and headed to Gringott's. 'Operation Harry Houdini Potter' was about to commence. 


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25  
  
"NO! This boy is not leaving!"  
  
Severus could hear Albus's shout. He picked up his pace up the stairs and could see the people coming into view. Albus and Dante were at the door to the infirmary. Weasley and two Auror were in front of them.  
  
"We have orders, the boy has to go back to the Ministry." Percy told Albus.  
  
Severus came up to the group. "What is going on?"  
  
Percy turned to look at Severus. "This doesn't concern you, Snape." Percy narrowed his eyes when he saw Darien.  
  
Severus moved Darien down from his shoulder and handed him over to Dante, "Take him to see Janus."  
  
Dante took Darien. "Come on little man. Daddy will handle this." Dante went inside the infirmary. Percy watching Darien until he was behind the doors.  
  
Severus glared at Percy. "This does concern me. That boy is my cousin in there. He isn't going anywhere."  
  
Percy pulled out the paper, "You don't have custody of the boy. The boy goes back, his guardian is waiting."  
  
Severus snatched the papers and started reading. Janus's guardian was Adrian Conall. Severus growled when he read the name. The Conall's hated everything to do with Snapes. His Uncle had made sure of that, when he had stolen the woman that Adrian Conall was supposed to marry on his wedding day. His Uncle, Dylan Snape, would go after anything he wanted, included abducting a bride on her wedding day. Adrian Conall swore revenge on that whole Snape line. Twenty years ago he murdered Dylan Snape, his cousin Sarin Snape had been at school when this had happened, after Hogwarts, no one really knew what happen to Sarin. Severus noticed the papers where signed this morning.  
  
"He won't be going." Severus growled out at Percy.  
  
The two Auror pulled their wands and pointed them at Severus. These were the same Auror who had been in the castle before with Ron. Percy snatched the papers away from Severus. "Do behave your station Professor."  
  
"Wizarding Law, indicates that the child in question will be going to his nearest relative, Mr. Weasley." The voice came from the stairs. Brian Trenton walked over to the group, "Sorry about this Severus. Head Auror Malfoy just informed me of the boy's relation to you. New custody papers have been drawn up. I sent an inter office memo to Weasley here stating that the boy wasn't supposed to be moved. I see Weasley didn't get it."  
  
"Obviously." Severus snarled his lip at Percy.  
  
Percy glared at Severus turned to the two Auror. "Let's leave."  
  
"Not until I see those papers, Weasley." Brian stated.  
  
Percy looked at Brian. "I don't question you about your placements, when yours is the most questionable, letting a single witch adopt a child."  
  
Brian stuck his hand out. "Hand them over."  
  
Percy shoved the papers at Brian and left with the two Auror.  
  
"How did Percy find out about Darien's adoption?" Severus asked.  
  
"Easy Severus." Albus continued, "Percy does work in the area of Children Services in the Ministry, but Brian is over him."  
  
"I assure you. Percy won't find anything on Darien." Brian read over the papers he got from Percy. "Incompetent imbecile. How he managed to get so many NEWTs is beyond me? These papers are null and void, damn good thing too."  
  
"What if they were good?" Severus asked.  
  
Brian looked at Severus, his expression grave. "The boy would have been placed in Adrian Conall's care. Percy missed one of the places for Adrian Conall to sign, thank Merlin for that. You would had to have taken him to court for Janus, this way you won't." Brian pulled out papers and handed them over to Severus. "These will give you custody of Janus, plus I left it open for adoption should you and Janus want that."  
  
"I see." Severus doubted Janus would want this, he didn't want to be a Snape. They went inside the infirmary and Severus signed every place he needed too.  
  
*******  
  
Draco was in the lower vaults at Gringotts. The trolley they were on stopped and the goblin beside him got out. Draco stared at the steam rising from the lake that was off to his left, this was the lowest part of the caves that he had ever been in. He knew not to get near the lake when he saw the water break but could not tell what creature the goblins kept in the black water. The air was bitingly cold down here and Draco pulled his robe closer as he stepped out of the trolley. Luminous dark-green moss grew along the granite walls, Draco was standing in front of the most warded door he had ever seen.  
  
The goblin reached his hand out. "Key." The word was commanded, not a request, not like the other goblins who took other investors to their vaults. Draco produced the key from his pocket. The water ripple he heard caught his attention and Draco looked back at the lake. Pale claws slid back into the water. The goblin had a yellow toothy grin when Draco looked back at him. "Precautions."  
  
Precautions? There is more than one? Draco thought. He handed the key over. Looking back over his shoulder the water of the lake was calm, like nothing had moved inside it, the steam was still rising from it. Draco heard a hiss in front of him, he turned back to see the door to the vault slowly open. The goblin handed the key back.  
  
"I'll be back to collect you." The goblin laughed as he got in the trolley that headed up out of the cave.  
  
'Great! What have you gotten me into Harry? A deranged goblin brought me down here to my death.'  
  
Draco took a step toward the vault, unsure if he really wanted to see what Harry had hidden inside this thing. The moving of the water spurred him forward, it didn't feel it was time for him to meet his death from whatever the pale-clawed swimmer was. The vault appeared to be empty when Draco stepped inside, the first thing he noticed was small glass bell hovering in the center of the vault, beside it hovering also was small glass hammer. A gold string above the bell and hammer.  
  
With wand drawn, Draco went around the three objects. His eyes swept back to the door of the vault, Draco saw the pairs of eyes in the lake. All looking at him.  
  
'Damn, I'm going to die down here. Damn that goblin for leaving me. Damn whatever is in that lake.'  
  
Draco said a few spells at the objects but nothing happened, he knew they were enchanted. Harry had left nothing in the letter, not even a clue what would be found in this vault.  
  
"Pull the string." The voice was low and guttural.  
  
Draco spun towards the voice, the creature looked half goblin, pale, its eyes crystal blue. Its head bigger than its body, and withered, wrinkled skin, looking like a prune from being in the water too long. Draco's wand was pointing at the thing.  
  
"Who are you? What are you?"  
  
"I am Solon, king of the water cave dwellers."  
  
Draco didn't want to laugh, he held it back. Solon, did not look like a king of anything, he was unclothed, and looked like walking water death to him. "Why should I pull the string?" Still not trusting this new creature, he was sure the thing was half goblin.  
  
Solon smiled, his teeth were not like that of the goblins, and they weren't yellow. His smile was almost enchanting, it conveyed trust. Draco shook his head, Potter had led him inside an enchanted vault, and now he was speaking to some water cave dweller.  
  
"Because the young dragon will find what he seeks." Solon bowed low, not that he had far to go, and turned and left back for the water. Draco watched as his forked tail swished behind him.  
  
'Harry this better be worth it.' Draco pulled the gold string. 


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
  
Draco pulled the gold string that was suspended above the glass bell and hammer. A piece of parchment fluttered down to the floor and Draco stooped to pick it up.  
  
Dear Draco,  
  
Seems odd not to call you Malfoy, but in times like these, I guess putting aside differences is a good thing. We both were prats in school, I look back at that day in Madam Milkens, and I wonder if I shook your hand, if things could have been different between us. I think it would have, we wouldn't have been pitted against each other in different houses. Might have even found out we were alike in some ways. I never told anyone other than Dumbledore, but the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, so you see, we probably could have gotten to be good friends. I want to give you something Draco, even though I can't give it to you of my own free will; I would do it in a heartbeat if I could. Outside this vault is a lake, down inside that lake is a dagger, just not any dagger, but Merlin's Dagger.  
  
Draco stopped reading and looked out the vault door at the black water. "Bloody Hell! That's where that old fool hid it." Draco went back to the letter.  
  
You know the old legend, that he hid his dagger to keep part of his magic alive for his heir. I found the dagger, I'm his heir, but I can't reach it. Part of the legend also said that once an enemy turned friend would be able to reach it. You are the only one I can think of that, that would qualify for this. I was destined to kill Voldemort not you. I didn't even want to kill him, but I had no choice, I had no choice in my life, my life was dictated the instant that I survived that curse. I never had a life that I could truly call my own. That was why I took the de-aging, innocence potion. I wanted what I was robbed of, a family. You have a choice Draco, you can walk away, Merlin knows I would, it wasn't pretty in that lake, I almost died, I wouldn't be around if it hadn't been for Solon. He pulled me out of the lake, he was the one who told me it was because of my blood that I could not get the dagger. Funny, how blood holds such an importance in ones life. We never think of it, it's always there; we take it for granted. The lake to me is poison, because of my blood; I was dying in that lake. I'm asking you to retrieve that dagger, retrieve something I can't do for myself. Darien will need that dagger, and only a Slytherin with Slytherin blood will know which one it is. You will have a reward for it, but I can't say what that reward is, but, I know it is something you will like, something you've always wanted.  
  
Your friend and now godbrother,  
  
Harry Potter and now Darien Michael Snape  
  
Draco reread the letter two more times. He kept glancing at the lake. "By the Gods, Harry Potter you are insane."  
  
Draco walked around the vault, pacing, letting off steam. What Harry was asking of him was plain suicide. If the water had that potential to the boy-who-lived, Draco shuttered at the thought of what could actually to him if he went inside the water. Besides he wasn't even sure how deep the under ground lake was, not to mention he didn't like the idea of what the water dwellers looked like either. They didn't look like the sort that would allow unwanted visitors to their water realm either. Through Draco's pacing around the vault a silver string now appeared above the bell and hammer. Draco caught the color of the string and yanked hard on the thing, wondering now what would materialize inside this enchanted vault. A wooden box fell to the floor, nothing special, it looked like an old Muggle cigar box. Draco had seen one that had been enchanted when he was with his father in Knockturn Alley when he was younger. Opening it up, Draco found gillyweed and another small note.  
  
Eat it, it will help you breath underwater. H.P.  
  
"Right Potter. Like I'm that stupid." Draco paced some more.  
  
It wasn't that Draco didn't want to do this, he found himself growing more and more curious about the whole situation as it was. The dagger had been something that Merlin had hidden for a reason, it was said to be astonishing. A legend in its own right. The dagger had been forged out of magic, Merlin's own magic. Merlin had been one of the most powerful Mage's the magical world had ever seen. Draco looked back to the lake, it looked black and foreboding. He was no coward. Draco picked up the gillyweed and walking out of the vault he peered down into the water, the steam still rising. He could see nothing, the wind whistled inside the cavern, leaving him with an unearthly feel. Steeling his nerve, Draco placed the gillyweed in his mouth and dove head first into the black water.  
  
********  
  
Hermione had finished up the schedule and headed out into the halls and up the stairs to go see Janus. She rounded a corner and stopped when she saw that flash of red hair. Her heart picked up and started racing. Percy glared at her and was flanked with two Auror.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the little know-it-all." He snarled at her.  
  
Hermione gritted her teeth, she hated that childhood nickname. "What are you doing here Percy?"  
  
Percy strode over to her looking down at her. Hermione hadn't grown that much, she was still smaller compared to him. "When I figure out where that little boy came from, you'll regret ever having adopted him. You won't have him too much longer. And you'll be brought before court, I'll see to it."  
  
"I haven't done anything wrong Percy. Darien is legally mine, there isn't anything you can do about it." Hermione shoved him aside and continued walking.  
  
"Wait and see." Percy called after her. "By the way. Where is Harry?"  
  
Her steps faltered. She started walking again, quicker this time.  
  
"Guess we'll just add foul play to that long growing list you're tacking up there." Percy yelled at her after she rounded the corner out of sight.  
  
Her found herself enveloped in coldness and a white haze. She realized she was standing in the center of the Bloody Baron and backed up. The warmth flooded her body as soon as she stepped out of his ghostness.  
  
"I.I'm sorry." Hermione stammered out.  
  
The Baron cocked his head and studied her. "A Lioness should never apologize." The Baron got down where he was right in her face. "A Lioness always defends her young and will go to any length to protect them. Find that Lioness within yourself that you have seemed to have lost." With that he shot up through the ceiling.  
  
Hermione stared at that part of the ceiling not believing what just had happened. The whole time she had been at Hogwarts, the ghosts never really helped them. Or given them advice. Well excluding Moaning Mertle, she helped plenty. But the Bloody Baron had always been a torment to the Gryffindor students while they were here. She had never seen him speak civil to anyone other than someone in Slytherin.  
  
"He wants me to find it? How the hell do I do that? It wasn't like I lost it, it was stolen from me." Hermione seethed to the ceiling.  
  
The Baron's head popped back through. "Then take it back. Surely you can put that brilliant mind of yours to work into a plan that would get what you want. Or is that to Slytherin for you."  
  
Hermione placed her hands on her hips and glared at the ghost. "I'll have you know I can be a Slytherin if I wanted too."  
  
He grinned at her. "Then do it." He threw the gauntlet down and cackled with laughter at the gleam in her eyes. "My, you just may be a snake covered in lion hair." He swirled down the hall she was in. "Wouldn't be the first time." He slashed his sword at the paintings and Hermione watched as the owners of the paintings went flittering out of his reach.  
  
With new determination, Hermione took off, she had to go find a book, and it wasn't in Hogwarts. Not the one she was looking for now. She needed one that she knew of, but it would mean she would have to go to the last place she wanted. She just hoped Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would be accommodating. 


End file.
